Death and Destiny
by Nessa Elendil
Summary: Even the harshest of Destinies can be altered by fate. Fourteen years after Harry Potter was left on the Dursley's doorstep, another Potter unexpectedly shows up there, and he hasn't come without a purpose.
1. The Devil's Deal

**_Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine._**

* * *

James Potter lay on a cold, hard floor, bloody, beaten, and crying. Though the tears he shed were not for himself, he wished more than anything they could be. 

"Let - let her - go," he panted at his captor, one he had come to know quite well after fourteen years. 

"Why would we do that? Hmm?" the masked Death Eater hissed in mockery. "She's so much _fun_ to have around." 

James glared through cracked and dirty glasses at the disgusting excuse for a wizard before him, his breathing hard as he shook with rage. He had just been forced to endure the scene of his wife being beaten... and worse, and was powerless to do anything, like so many times before. What he wouldn't give to have her back in his arms, safe and secure, happy. 

"I'll do anything! Just let her go!" his scratchy voice seethed with fury as his emotions uncontrollably burst through, and James ended up in a fit of coughs that were agony to his chest. 

The Death Eater merely sneered and kicked James hard in his groin, not believing what he had said, and leaving James alone in a dark cell for the infinith time. 

James's already broken body scrunched up in pain as he let out a cry of anguish. He didn't know how many more wounds he could endure, and not to his body, but to his mind, his heart, hid Lily. 

She was suffering more than he, James knew. They both knew of their son's death that fateful Halloween night, but while he at least knew his son's mother lived, she had been told James was dead, and so, with no reason to live, Lily wanted to die... she never put up too great of a fight, she wanted the result to be her end, and it tore James inside, it killed him. 

James shifted his aching body and tried to sleep, to escape for only a moment. He closed his tear-filled eyes, trying to focus on something, anything, other than what he had just witnessed. The nightmarish images that flashed before his eyes were never of the pain and curses inflicted on himself, but rather the grotesque images of what happened to his love, when she wasn't locked away. 

He'd give anything - _anything_ - to be back there... 

_Lily had only just put baby Harry to bed, never an easy task, he being the son of a Marauder, and was waiting upstairs for James._

_James walked through the house in Godric's Hollow, double-checking all the locks and security charms. Satisfied his family would be safe for the night, he headed up the stairs and into his small son's room._

_He peered over the top of a crib to see Harry James trying desperately not to succumb to sleep now that his daddy was in the room. James smiled._

_"Good night, son," he said softly. James leaned over and placed a hand on the baby's tummy and a kiss on his forehead._

_"I love you." He pulled the light blanket back over the feet that had already kicked it off and ruffled the black mop of hair resembling his own as he looked into tired emerald eyes that mirrored the boy's mother's._

_"I love you so much," James whispered, giving Harry another kiss._

_James left the room, pausing at the door to turn off the lights and on the night light. He looked back at Harry, his flesh and blood, and his heart swelled with pride that the magnificent child was his own, James would always protect him, he knew he would._

_Leaving the door slightly ajar, James silently tip-toed to his own room and slipped inside._

_There she was, laying on the bed, his Lily Potter. Her eyes were shut, but James knew better, she wasn't asleep. She never slept until he laid down._

_Silently and swiftly, James changed into a pair of pajama bottoms and climbed into bed next to his wife, feeling her body move as his weight shifted the mattress. He removed his glasses and wrapped his arms around her as she turned to face him, arms around his neck._

_For a moment, they only looked deep into the other's eyes, saying all they needed to without words._

_A soft "I love you" passed from both sets of lips as they came together in a blissful, chaste kiss. The simple gesture meant so much to Lily and James, it was how they ended every night, and began every day. It ended their fights and replenished their love, the pure kiss kept their marriage from crumbling apart during these dark times._

James awoke to a sharp, searing pain in his shoulder. "AH!" 

"Get up, scum!" 

He felt bulky hands harshly tie his own together and clutch the end of the rope like a leash. James's arms were jerked forward and his entire body smashed headlong into a wall, causing his glasses, kept only to see his wife's torment more vividly, to crack even more. His blurry vision faded in and out as his head spun. 

Magically blindfolded, James was yanked unceremoniously out of the cell door and half-dragged down long corridors. Apparently, there was someone behind him as well as in front of, as, occasionally, James would be struck behind his knees or in his back, causing him to collapse. Whenever this happened, a brutal foot would vigorously kick James's stomach and chest until he forced himself to stand. Eventually, James was positive his ribs had done more than just bruise and his blood had spilt in more places than on the outside of his body. 

_She's in there._ James knew she was. Over the years, James had figured out where they kept his precious Lily, and he always knew when he was passing the ever locked door, just as he knew, as he could feel in the pit of his gut, when they were about to hurt her more. It was how he had given her his stockerish impression at school, but he couldn't help it, he loved her and wanted to protect her from any and all harm, so he always came when he could. 

"In here!" 

James felt himself be shoved into a room and was deposited onto the floor. 

"Excellent," a voice hissed, a voice that James knew. "Now leave." 

The door shut with a snap, and James was magically suspended as the blindfold disappeared. The face James was eye level with resembled a snake's with catlike red eyes. 

"James Potter," spat the mouth of Lord Voldemort. 

"Tom Riddle," James seethed, pure loathing pouring out of his eyes at what stood there, at what killed his son. 

Voldemort's eyes flared. "You _dare_ call me by that name?!" 

"Which one do you prefer? I can think of about twenty, you son of a bitch." 

"Silencio!" 

James found himself unable to utter a sound as Voldemort's wand then brandished him into the wall. 

Voldemort sat on a throne-like chair, the only object in the room besides a slithering snake, adorned with the Dark Mark as a back. 

"I'm not here to play games, Potter." 

James glared. 

"I'm very pleased my Death Eaters have kept you alive all these years," he said, eyeing James's confused glance that swiftly turned back to glare. 

"You see, Potter, fourteen years ago, on your supposed death, your Mudblood wife's supposed _sacrifice_ did something I overlooked." Voldemort paused here, just to be sure he had James's rapt attention. 

He jerked back his wand and James was forced to kneel before Voldemort's chair, the sitter upon which leaned down so James could feel his horrible breath on his face as the snake slithered around him, hungrily. 

"Your son survived that night, Potter," he whispered. 

The surge of emotion that shot through James's body was indescribable, _his son was alive_. Nothing else mattered, Harry was still here, living his life. 

James was so happy, he wanted to cry, never before had he felt this way, so happy yet so relieved it made him feel almost vulnerable. There was nothing else worth caring for as long as Harry was safe. 

"I, however," Voldemort continued his story, snapping James out of his blissful state, "was not so fortunate. My powers were vanquished that night, Potter, and I spent the better part of these past years attempting to regain them. My faithful Death Eaters have kept you alive knowing that I would one day return, and seek revenge." Voldemort's eyes filled with excitement at the thought of vengeance on the wizard before him. 

"But I have a better use for you. You want the Mudblood to be turned loose and I want your son dead, your son wants to know his parents. There is a way for us all to get what we want." 

James's full attention was focused on Voldemort. What was he saying? 

"I will let you go, you will find Harry Potter, and kill him." 

A sick feeling overcame James as he heard those words. _Kill Harry._ He loved Harry. 

"You will stain this blade-" he pulled out a silver dagger, blade glinting in the dim light, with a handle shaped like a serpent's head with gleaming, red eyes, "-with his blood, and bring it back to me, as proof. I shall then release your wife, what happens to you will depend on how long you keep me waiting. After all, you did say _anything_." 

James looked in horror at the dagger and the creature who held it, the thought of actually _murdering_ his own flesh and blood still rambling throughout his mind. What kind of sick deal was this? 

"I will even personally guara that during the time you are... out, the only time anyone will enter Mrs. Potter's chamber will be to leave food and water, otherwise, no one goes in, and she doesn't come out. What do you say, Potter?" 

The silencing charm was lifted, but James was too dumbfounded to speak. 

"Will you save the wife you love?" The word 'love' had been spat out like something disgusting. "Or will you spare the son you've never met?" 

After a short pause, Voldemort continued. "Oh, and Potter, don't try anything _unworthy_." Voldemort pushed up the sleeve of his own robe and dragged the blade down his forearm, showing James that it left not the slightest mark. 

He altered his hold on the dagger so the snake head handle was facing James, waiting for him to take it. 

"What do you say, Potter?" Voldemort repeated in a whisper, face livid with anticipation, waiting for James to make his decision.

* * *

**_A/N: How was that? Thought I'd start off with a nice cliffy at the end._**


	2. Deadly Decisions

_**A/N: The OC in this chapter is Jasmine Black, Sirius' cousin and Harry's godmother.  
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__**

* * *

**"What do you say, Potter?" Voldemort repeated in a whisper, face livid with anticipation, waiting for James to make his decision._

* * *

James opened his mouth, trying to remember how to speak. Desperate to find a way out of this mess, James voiced one of the first, less complicated, thoughts he could think of.

"Why should I trust you?"

Voldemort's malicious grin turned into a scowl. "Are you calling me a liar, Potter?"

"So what if I am?"

Eyes flashing, Voldemort stood hastily and pressed the blade above James's Adam's apple, so he could feel it gnawing at his jaw.

"So what if you are, Potter?" Voldemort inquired. "So what if you are?"

James's eyes traveled to the handle of the snake dagger, held by the hand of the monster that had destroyed his family, his breathing guarded.

Regaining his composition, Voldemort sat again on his Dark Mark throne, and withdrew the blade from James's neck.

"Either way, Potter, precious Harry _will_ die, so the question remains to be, will you _really_ do _any_thing to keep your wife alive and well?"

Defeated, James looked up at Voldemort. Did he really have a choice when the lives of his wife and son hung in the balance as they did?

Voldemort grinned. 

* * *

James had been given a Portkey and an address, one that Voldemort, apparently, couldn't get to himself: 4 Privet Drive.

As James staggered through the streets of Surrey, with the sheathed dagger hidden within the hem of the worn cloak that covered his bruised and beaten body, he looked up at the crescent moon, grateful it was night; he had forgotten how bright the moon could be, let alone the sun.

Privet Drive came into view as James clutched his side, his once fit body unused to any physical activity.

His thoughts again wondered to Lily, it killed him to leave her, but that absence of a certain feeling in his stomach led him to believe that Voldemort was keeping his promise... for now.

_Probably only to make sure I __do_ kill Harry, James thought darkly.

Number four, there it was. Stumbling up the walkway, James braced himself for what would happen when he pounded loudly on the door. He was going to meet his son, for the first time in fourteen years.

But one thing James was certain of, he wasn't going to kill him, he could never kill him; he only had to buy some time... for Lily. 

* * *

In the kitchen of Number Four Privet Drive, Harry Potter was talking with some of the members of the advance guard when a loud banging was heard on the door.

"What was that?" Remus Lupin muttered.

"I'm betting it was someone at the door," Jasmine Black answered lucidly.

"Well thanks for letting us know, Auntie Obvious," Nymphadora Tonks said.

Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody's magical blue eye zipped to the door as his normal beady one widened in shock. "Dear Merlin... "

The other nine witches and wizards looked in the direction of the door, Moody wasn't one to be put in shock easily.

Jasmine pulled out her wand and crept over to the door, blocked from view to all but Mad-Eye. Wand at the ready, Jasmine flung open the door. "STUP--"

The guard heard her stop in midcurse. Withdrawing his wand, Remus headed over to see what happened, followed by everyone else.

"Jas, what-?" Remus looked and saw exactly what had caused Jasmine to stand dumbfounded, mouth hanging open, and wand still poised: James Potter panting harshly as he held himself up with the side of the house; the same James Potter said to be dead for fourteen years.

Harry stood, gawking at his father like everyone else. "Dad?"

James's eyes darted up, unfocused, at the direction of Harry's voice. He opened his mouth to say something, but he was drained of energy. His eyes rolled back into his head as he fell forward through the open door.

Remus lurched forward and caught his friend before he could hit the ground. 

* * *

James awoke to the sound of talking voices in the next room in a room he'd never seen before. He forced his tired legs to take him to the door the voices were behind, and James found they were talking about him.

"So you're positive it's really him?"

_In The Kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place_

Sirius Black was sitting with a huge grin plastered on his face, eyes ready to form tears.

"Of course we're positive! We wouldn't have even been able to get him in if he weren't," answered Jasmine, her feet on the table and chair tilted back, obviously happier than she'd been for a long time.

Remus still sported an unbelieving, yet blissful, expression as he thought of the missing Marauder returned to them.

Harry, however, still had yet to say a word, or even move, since arriving at the Order of the Phoenix Head Quarters and reuniting with his godfather, Sirius. He was sitting next to his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, as he fought the feeling in the pit of his stomach, making him feel so happy he wanted to shout for joy and yet be sick all at the same time.

_His father wasn't dead._

But that fact also caused his nerves to shatter. What could he say to the father he couldn't even remember? What if his father didn't like him? What if he woke up to find this had all been a cruel dream and he was still stuck at Privet Drive? But another question forming in Harry's mind gave him a bit of hope. If James was alive, did that mean Lily was too?

"Harry, you ok?"

Harry looked up to see the three Marauders looking at him concernedly. He nodded a few times, still slightly shaking and nervous, scared as anything. "Yeah, it's just... I mean... I never...-"

"Don't worry about it," Remus said with a reassuring smile.

"I guess we'll let you all alone," Mad-Eye announced, his magical eye spinning madly in its socket. He jabbed a thumb at the door. "He just woke up."

_**A/N: So was that what you expected, more or less so? How about for the next chapter?**_


	3. Daunted Dialogue

_**A/N: Probably should have said this before now, so sorry if anyone was confused: OC information is in my bio.**_

_

* * *

_

_"I guess we'll let you all alone," Mad-Eye announced, his magical eye spinning madly in its socket. He jabbed a thumb at the door. "He just woke up."_

* * *

The door swung open, and James found himself face-to-face with none other than Sirius Black. He could see some people leaving the kitchen behind him, and others staying at the table.

"Hey, buddy," Sirius said with a huge grin, filling the semi-awkward silence.

"Padfoot?"

James coun't ever remember being so glad to see Sirius in his entire life. It meant that he was finally out of that hell, that he and Lily still had a chance at life.

A chance at life with Harry.

James grabbed Sirius and pulled him into the tightest hug he could muster, Sirius hugging him back.

Remus and Jasmine got up as well and went over to their friends.

"Hey, James."

James hugged Remus next. "Hi, Moony."

"Good to have you back, Prongs."

"Oh no, not you," James groaned jokingly, hugging Jasmine all the same.

Harry was the only one who had yet to get up.

Once the hugging had come to an end, James stood back and observed his three friends.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" he asked half to them, half to himself. Sirius' face, once handsome and full of life, was now gaunt and his eyes seemed deadened and haunted. Remus, organized and caring, somewhat, about the impression of his appearance, had several premature gray hairs and his robes were shabby and worn. Jasmine, perhaps, looked the best out of all of them, but James didn't miss the pain and suffering her once joyous and energetic eyes concealed. None of the Marauders had the glowing mischief hanging about them as they did years ago.

"We were about to ask you the same thing," Remus said.

"Yeah, we're not the only ones looking like hell around here," Sirius joked.

"Mhmm. And you _should_ look like hell after what we did to get you in here," Jasmine added knowledgably.

James' expression jumped to concern.

"And what the fuck did you do to get me in here?" he asked monotoned.

"Well, this house is protected by the Fidelius Charm, right?" Jasmine started.

"Right..." James answered cautiously.

"And since you were unconscious, you couldn't read the paper with the address to get in, right?"

"Right..."

"And since we got here on broomsticks, I flew you up way high over the house, and dropped you down. You went CRASH! through the roof, and landed on the couch... I still have good aim."

"I went WHAT?! through the roof?!"

The Marauders burst out laughing.

"Aw, c'mon Prongs, you don't really think we'd let her shove you off a broom Merlin knows how many feet in the air, do ya?" Sirius asked.

"Well ya did in sixth year!" James reminded him.

"Oh, yeah..."

"No, what we did was use that spell thing to make you transform - that's how we confirmed it was actually you, too - then tied your front hooves together and your back hooves together, stuck a pole between the ties of your legs, hoisted the pole on own shoulders, and carried you inside, since the charm doesn't work on animals."

"WHAT?!"

The Marauders were laughing again.

"You don't really think we'd let her tie you up like we just got back from a hunting trip, do ya?" Remus asked.

"You did that in sixth year, too!"

"Oh, yeah..."

"Man, you had a tough sixth year."

"Only 'cause of you."

Jasmine spat out her tongue. "We really did use that spell to make you transform to get you in, though."

"I got that much," James answered, annoyed.

"Do you wanna tell us why you showed up after fourteen years looking like shit now?" Sirius asked.

James answered sarcastically and harshly. "Take a wild guess."

Remus nodded in understanding, and Jasmine and Sirius decided not to press the matter. James could see their questions building up, and was greatful when they still didn't pursue them.

James swallowed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's ok," Sirius assured him.

"Besides, I'm sure our stories of life are much more interesting than yours, anyways."

"Oh really? How so?"

Jasmine took a deep breath. "Remus can't get a job because he's a werewolf and is flat out broke, so as you can imagine, his life's quite literally in the dumps; Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban and then broke out, now he's still on the run and stuck in this house which caused his life to turn back to crap; I went to the madhouse for a day and now just hate my sucky life due to all the sucky things it is filled with; but you seemed to have had the worst time of all. Anything else you want to know?" She said that all with her one breath.

For a moment, James just stared. "Um, no, I think that covered it."

"Oh, wait, Prongs, you've gotta hear this!" Sirius was practically jumping up and down, his eyes alight and seeming awake to life for the first time since James had seen him.

"Shut up, Sirius," Remus said simply.

"Moony and Jasy aren't together anymore! Now our Remmy is in the middle of a fiery relationship complete with hot, steamy sex with a pink-haired Auror thirteen years younger than himself who just happens to be Jasy's niece!"

James started laughing.

"Shut up!" Remus said, drawn out and aggrivated, his cheeks turning red. "We don't have, as you so eliquently put it, Padfoot, 'hot, steamy sex'."

"Yeah," Jasmine nodded. "She did say you were kind of rusty under the sheets."

"Shut up! I haven't even shagged her! And I'm not trying to either!"

James chose to ignore the last coment. "Wow, Moony, I always thought Sirius would've been the one to date some chick over a decade younger than himself that he couldn't keep up with!"

"Shut up!" Remus repeated.

"Hey!" Sirius' laughter died down.

"Well, this has been jolly ol' fun, but it's getting late, so I'll just tuck these two in for the night." Jasmine stood and grabbed the fronts of Remus' and Sirius' robes, dragging them out of the kitchen behind her.

As the door shut, James turned to Harry; he still had his head down, even through all of that. James was glad his friends had left him alone with his son, just like he was glad they were careful to avoid the subject of Lily, it was just easier.

"H-Harry?"

He looked up; except for the eyes and a lightning shaped scar on his forehead, James may have been looking in a mirror, but Harry's eyes were still his mother's, even as they were brimmed with tears.

_Does he not want me back?_ James thought to himself, horrified and confused.

Harry wiped his eyes. "I-I'm sor-r-ry, bu-u-"

"About what?" James asked concernedly, he had to know.

"I never thought I'd-I'd ever meet you."

James' face relaxed considerably after hearing those words.

"I never thought I'd meet you either," he confessed.

What Harry did next surprised him more than anything; with a smile that lit up the room, Harry jumped off his seat and ran to James, throwing his arms around his father for the first time in his life, crying into his chest.

James held Harry close to him, tears forming in his own eyes as the snake-dagger weighed heavily on his heart. He couldn't have done it before, he wasn't going to do it now.

"I love you, son," he muttered into Harry's hair.

"I love you, too, Dad," Harry whispered back, so silently that James could've missed it.

But he didn't. Being called 'Dad' made James feel prouder than he could remember being since Harry was born, and before that, Lily becoming his wife, as well as lighting a burning fire of love and protection; here was his family, as soon as they got Lily back.

Neither Potter noticed another figure slid into the room unnoticed by any outside, or felt the shocked silence that seemed to vibrate off the walls as the greasy-haired, hook-nosed professor took in the scene before him.

"You?!" Severus Snape snarled.


	4. Disturbed Dreams

**_A/N: Sorry it took so long..._**

"Where am I?" James groaned, placing a hand on his throbbing head. The dark room was empty, cold, and foreboding. Only small bits of light found a way through the filthy window, that didn't lead outside. James realized: this was another room in... what it was, James didn't know, but he had spent the last three months of his life there. Here, he learned his son was dead, and no Death Eater spoke of his wife, which gave him hope that she, at least, was still alive.

He looked out the window, as a sense of deja vou seized him; he didn't want to look, but he had to. He did.

The window showed a dimly lit cell, and there she was, huddled up against the wall, Lily.

James couldn't describe the relief he felt. She was incredibly thin, he could see most of her bones, and her fiery hair lay lank and dirty against her face, but James didn't care; she was alive, and as long as she was, he still had a reason to live, to exist in this hell.

"Lily! Lily!" James yelled out to her, pounding on the window with what strength he had left. "LILY!" She didn't move, she couldn't hear him.

"She can't hear you," a masked figure taunted him. "She can't see you either."

James fell to his knees, still able to see through the window.

The door to Lily's cell creaked open, and knew he didn't want it to. "What's going on?" he demanded. "What are you doing?!"

But, somehow, he already knew.

Lily looked up as a second figure - first to her - masked and cloaked, approached her.

James panicked. "Lily! Lily, no!" He didn't want to look, he had to look away, but he couldn't, somehow, he was kept from even glancing away from that window.

He watched. He watched the Death Eater approach her, force her down.

He heard. He heard her screams, her screams for him.

He cried. He loved her, she didn't deserve this, any of this, and he was helpless to stop it.

"Shouting for Potter won't help you now, Mudblood," the Death Eater told her, snarling.

James listened as well as he could while striving to control his tears as the nameless Death Eater finished what he had to say.

"He's dead."

He saw her eyes, her beautiful emerald green orbs, already filled with the pain and abuse of these last three months, look up. She had died; not her body, but her soul.

"No."

James was back at Grimmauld Place. It was empty and dark, silent, too, except for the sound of someone crying. James followed the sobs; it was Lily. She had her back to him.

"Lily?"

"Why?" she answered.

"Why what?" James asked, slowly approaching her.

"Why did you do it?" Lily's voice was distant, monotone, and echoing.

"Do what?" He had no idea what she meant, and James was beginning to become apprehensive. "Lily?"

She turned around. "Kill him?"

"Lily!"

Her words were unheard, or forgotten, by her husband as he backed away, looking, horrified, at her face... and her eyes. Her eyes belonged to a corpse. She was dead. Truly and utterly dead.

"Lily..." James reached out a hand to touch the cold flesh of her pale face, but found that he couldn't.

"Why?"

"Why?"

He couldn't see them, but he could hear them; the voices of his fellow Marauders. They and wife demanded the question of James in the same, flat tone.

"Why what? I don't understand! Lily, what did I do?! Lily!"

"Why did you kill him?" Her dead, hollow eyes flickered to James for a moment as he stood in silent shock, trying to piece it all together, and then, she vanished.

"Kill... Harry?" James voiced weakly. "No! I'd never, never!" he said to the empty darkness. "Never..."

"Dad?"

_Harry..._ He was right in front of him, with his back turned to his father. James was filled with relief, though, when he realized his voice didn't echo as Lily's had.

"Why?"

"What what?" James asked cautiously, he was beginning to feel panicked. Why would Harry ask that? He wasn't dead...

"Why?" he asked again.

James stepped forward and turned Harry around by his shoulders.

"NO!" James stumbled back, his son's dead, expressionless face and bloody, stabbed torso stared back at him.

"I'd never- Harry... I'd-I'd never..."

"You did."

James looked down at his hands, they were holding the cursed serpent dagger. His bloody hands dropped the knife, and it slowly fell until it clattered upon the unseen floor.

Voldemort's red eyes formed out of the abyss. "Kill him!"

"NOO!"

James bolted up, the sheets falling off his sweaty body. "No." He looked around, and his breathing slowly began to steady with large breaths.

His room in Grimmauld Place, that's where he was. James' mind began piecing everything together. It was a dream, a horrible dream. Harry, Harry was safe, sleeping two doors down, and Lily... Oh, Lily, she was still in that hell. But they weren't dead, he didn't kill them...

A flashback of the sick images from his dreams, and James suddenly felt nauseous. He checked the clock. It was just after three in the morning, but he decided to go down to the kitchen to find something that would keep him from reentering his nightmare. James couldn't brew a Dreamless Sleep Potion the way felt, and wasn't up to waking someone to explain why he needed it, even Sirius. He grabbed the bathrobe Sirius had lent him and headed out the door.

Willing to think of anything besides what he had just witnessed, James let his mind wander to his son and their past few days together.

Nothing made James happier than seeing Harry smile, seeing him happy. Harry was more than he ever could have asked for, and they had grown closer than James ever could have dreamed. All of the precious father/son moments they had shared were forever preserved in his memory so that no number of dementors could ever take them away.

He could never kill Harry... _Don't think about that...  
_Instead, he silently cursed Snape for ruining the first of such moments in fourteen years, especially since he wasn't even supposed to be there. Apparently, there was supposed to be a regular Order meeting, but word had gone ahead that the meeting should be restricted to the Advance Guard, those living at Grimmauld Place, and Dumbledore, although McGonagall, of course, had been present as well. Dumbledore agreed to this because he thought it best that, for the time being, the least amount of people knew James was still alive as possible, so as not to egg Voldemort on to doing something to really kill him. Snape, it seemed, was the only one not to get the message. At least James had the satisfaction of seeing Snape's "anger" when he learned that his high-class, top-priority report was going to have to be given to Dumbledore outside of the Order at a later time because of his long dead archenemy's return from the grave.

James knew he was ready to kill that son-of-a when he first saw him, had it not been for their shouts that woke the portrait of Sirius' mum, and that, in turn, roused the house to the two wizards ready to blow the other to oblivion (James with Harry's wand), and, of course, if Harry hadn't been standing in the way trying to stop it.

During the meeting that took place shortly afterwards, James had added his name to the mental list of those who were currently unhappy with the Headmaster. James had been perfectly willing to go to the Ministry of Magic, clear his best mate's name, make certain that his son never had to go back to Lily's sorry excuse for a sister, and testify that Voldemort was back, but Dumbledore still said that the fewer people who knew James was alive the better, and that as long as Cornelius Fudge was Minister of Magic, he would turn a blind eye and deaf ear to any and all evidence supporting anything Dumbledore had been saying, and would do everything in his power to keep everyone else in the Wizarding World doing the same.

The short list James had found consisted of the Marauders, for various reasons, individual and otherwise, of their own and all the reasons of the each other, Harry for constantly being kept out of the loop when he deserved, probably more than anyone, to know what was going on, and the pink-haired Auror, Tonks, who sided with the Marauders on their reasons of discontent, probably because two were her family and one was her lover.

While the meeting was taking place, James had observed Tonks give her input and discreetly shown dissatisfaction at the outcome, Remus grin and bear it, Sirius continually biting his tongue to keep from lashing out, and every once in a short while kick his cousin underneath the table to keep Jasmine from cussing Dumbledore out. Even at Hogwarts, he was the only one who could tell the exact moment before his cousin would cuss someone out before it happened.

By the time James was told of the "weapon" prophecy that he hadn't before known existed and was forbidden to tell Harry of it, James came to the conclusion that Dumbledore would've kept Harry from knowing he was alive if possible. So James, when asked about how he could have survived, said he didn't know and left it at that. (He really didn't know) And when the subject of Lily arose, James just looked down at the table in front of him and didn't make a sound, hoping to give the impression that he either didn't know, or knew she was gone. And it worked. But then, if Dumbledore had organized a mission to get her out, Lily would've been dead before they even got close, and James knew it. All he had left to do was tell the Marauders and Harry, but he wasn't going to do that until he had a plan that he could pull off on his won. The feeling that told him Lily was in trouble hadn't returned, so James knew there was still time, and he wasn't going to have everyone think he had only returned to seek help for Lily, not caring about anything else until she was safe. That wasn't the case, James cared about Harry more than he did Lily, if that was possible, but his instincts told him that was what was for the best, so that was what he was going to do.

James got to the bottom of the stairs and had to use the wall for support. While he had been gaining his strength back, that didn't stop the occasional feeling of fatigue, and he was still having trouble eating properly.

James made his way to the kitchen and noticed a light on from under the door. Who else would be up at this crazy hour? James thought. He shrugged, tied his bathrobe, which was beginning to come undone, a bit tighter, and walked into the kitchen.

"Harry? What are you doing up so late?"

**_A/N: More for explanation than entertainment, I know._**


	5. Dad's Deferral

_**A/N: I know this took a while to update, and I had originally made the chapter longer, but the second half either had to become chapter six or chaper five didn't get posted for a while longer. I'll try to have chapter six up within the next week. Please tell me what you think of this chapter in the meantime! Thanks!**_

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_"Harry, what are you doing up so late?"_

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**Chapter Five**

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Harry looked up at his father, obviously startled that he wasn't the only one awake at this hour.

"Uh, sorry, Dad," Harry said, making to clean up his still steaming cup of tea. "I'll just clean up and go back to bed."

"No, no. It's ok, you've got all day to sleep anyways." James helped himself to same hot water and a tea bag, then sat down next to his son, who was looking at him as if he'd forgotten something so important it was unbelievable. Sighing, James said, "Son, it's three in the morning, and I've just woken up. I can't remember what day it is, let alone recall what happens on it."

"August twelfth," Harry replied, almost tonelessly and staring down at his tea.

James gave a slight smile and turned away from his own cup, towards Harry. "Harry... Let me rephrase that... Even if I did know what day it was, I wouldn't be able to remember what happens on it."

"Trial," came the simple reply.

"Oh," James answered sheepishly. "heh, yeah. Well, don't worry about it, Harry. Sirius, Jas, and I had our fair share of those when we were at school; they threatened us with more than just expulsion, but none of it ever happens."

"But, Dad, times have changed since you were my age, what if they expel me?" Harry asked worriedly. Too worriedly.

It didn't take James long to catch on, not with his son. "Harry." He placed a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. "Son, you know that no matter what happens, I'll never let anyone send you back to the Dursleys', right? That I'll never let anyone take you from me? I don't want to lose you again-- Harry, I love you."

Harry smiled. "I love you too, Dad." But, although his words were true, something in his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

Lily's eyes.

_Lily..._

James' eyes darted down to his left hand, his bare ringfinger. They had taken their wedding rings, the only possession, aside from his glasses and wand, that James even gave squat about.

"Dad?" Harry's voice pulled James out of his thoughts. He swallowed, seeming nervous.

"Yeah?" James inquired, telling his son to go on.

"I-I don't... I don't really know how to-how to--"

"Your mother?" James asked, only looking at Harry after he said it.

Harry nodded, looking nervously at his father; the topic of Lily Potter having never before been discussed between them.

James took a deep breath; he had been planning on telling Harry everything, but he just didn't know how. After a moment of semi-awkward silence, he decided on the straightforward truth, no complications to it.

James rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses. Putting his hand down, back around his mug of tea, he said, "I'm not going to lie to you son, your mother is alive."

Harry nodded, not looking up. Of course he was happy his mother was alive, but he didn't know how to respond, and James knew it.

"Harry." James placed his hand back on Harry's shoulder. He struggled for a moment, not knowing what to say. If this were anyone but his child, he would not have felt the need to explain himself, his getting out and leaving Lily behind, but Harry deserved to know why. "I didn't want to leave without her, but I needed to get some time, for both of us. At least if I left I could go back for her, have a chance of getting her out alive, but I wouldn't have if I had stayed." He took a breath, hoping Harry would see his reasoning, even though the words that just came for his mouth probably sounded as unbelievable to Harry as they did to him.

Harry just nodded. "I know, Dad." Then, after a short pause, "Can I help?"

"No." The answer left James' mouth before he fully registered what was happening. He knew Harry had the right to help his mother, but they wanted to keep Harry safe, and James could never live with losing him; and if he used the knife to get some blood, even just a drop from one of Harry's fingers, he had no idea if the dagger was cursed, if it'd begin slicing his son open or hacking him to pieces the second it touched his skin or felt his blood. The risk was much too great.

Harry opened his mouth to protest.

"No, son, I won't let them get you. I can never let them have what they want for her--" James meant to stop those words, but they slipped out before he could.

Harry looked up at James as a new realization shown on his face. "Me," he said with simple reality. "They want me... in exchange for Mum."

"And I will never let them have you. Harry." James gripped his shoulders, praying to Merlin he would understand. "I would never, _never_, for any reason, put you in harm's way. I love you too much to see you get hurt, I can't lose you again, I can't. No one means more to me than you do, Harry. No one."

The father looked his son over, his eyes drinking in the sight as if afraid he would disappear forever, before pulling him into a tight hug, and the son leant into the embrace, enjoying and cherishing the feeling of his father's arms around him.

After a moment of comfortable silence, Harry asked, "But, Dad, why can't we just bluff it?"

"Harry!" James exasperated. "Weren't you listening? I'd never risk that, is the slightest thing went wrong... Harry, I'm not going to lose you, not again!" He was nearly crying by the time he had finished.

Harry nodded, but didn't look his father in the eye as he did so, and James knew he didn't agree with the answer he had received; from what the Marauders told him, Harry was one who'd always risk himself to help another, especially if that someone was one he cared about.

Pulling himself together, James said, "Harry, look, it's really early-" It was now 4:03 "-maybe it'd be best if we both went back to sleep. Then we can talk more about this after you get your name cleared."

Looking up again, Harry smiled and hugged his dad.

James hugged him back. "Good night, Harry."

" 'Night, Dad," Harry told him as they broke apart. Stifling a yawn, he headed back upstairs. James followed shortly afterwards.


	6. Distress and Delight

_**A/N: I stayed up until midnight to type this as I was getting sick, because it was the first chance to type this, so please excuse any mistakes.

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**" 'Night, Dad," Harry said as they broke apart. Stifling a yawn, he headed back up stairs. James followed shortly after.  
_**_

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_Chapter 6  
_

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_**

James was up just over an hour later and sitting in the kitchen of Twelve Grimmauld Place, for a second time that morning, this time, though, with Sirius, Remus, Jasmine, Tonks, Arthur, and Molly.

He wasn't listening too closely to the conversation; Tonks, blonde this morning, and yawning for being "on duty" all the pervious night, and Remus were discussing Ministry employees, namely a Rufus Scrimgeour whom James didn't remember too well. Tonks, her words almost constantly interrupted by her yawns, wasn't paying much attention to the table and ending up accidentally knocking off a plate, it fell and shattered, causing everyone to jump.

"Well, if anyone here wasn't awake before, they are now."

That statement was only half-true, as, for the moment, everyone was sitting wide-eyed and wide awake, but soon went back to what they were doing, Molly after she repaired the plate.

The conversation setting the soft noise in the background, James went back into his own mind, and how he was going to keep Harry absolutely safe and find a way back to where ever it was the Death Eaters had kept him and Lily for so many years. Once he heard the word "trial", worried something had gone wrong, he opened his ears and listened completely. But it was only Jasmine saying she'd get to the Ministry early to make sure no one tried to "eff up the trial, like that Dolores Umbridge bitch."

"Who?" James asked.

"Ya mean Moony hasn't rambled your ear off about her yet? Don't worry, he will," Jasmine said before adding to her niece to get some sleep and walking out the door.

"So what's this about Umbridge?"

"Like Jasy said, a bitch, class "A". Makes Snivelly look like that Tinklebeer thing from that Muggle fairy tale Tonks likes."

"That's 'Tinkerbell', Sirius," Remus corrected him. "But the essence of what he said was right. She's frightened of us 'half-breeds' and has been drafting some pretty _nasty_ pieces of anti-werewolf legislation. That was about two years back, and I'm still positive I saw 'burn in hell' encoded in more than one of those drafts. I'd like to burn _her_ in hell."

James was tempted to chuckle at his friend's uncharacteristic outburst, but he would have jumped at the opportunity to send that Umbridge hag to the same place Moony wanted to; he already knew all he needed to know that he loathed that... bitch.

Not ten minutes after Molly Weasley finally sat down - James thought that was her way of displaying her disapproval of the way they were speaking - she jumped up again saying "Breakfast" as Tonks, through another yawn, said, "M-m-morning, Harry. Have a seat." She, being the first one after Molly to notice him enter the kitchen, pulled out a chair, toppling the one next to it in the process.

In truth, until Tonks acknowledged him, James hadn't noticed his son was in the same room. Anxiously, Harry sat down, telling Mrs. Weasley he'd only have toast for breakfast. After everyone had given Harry some words of encouragement, Remus turned his conversation with Tonks back to Scrimgeour, but James could tell he'd still like to rant about the condemner of his "furry little problem." And who wouldn't? With all the crap she was putting his friend through, James, even, was surprised he hadn't torn her apart by now, or at least accepted an offer from Sirius to do so, since he was certain Sirius would have offered.

Harry seemed lost in his own thoughts, but Molly pulled him out of those by running a wet comb through his hair, trying to make it lay flat. She seemed to be the only one who thought making Potter hair lay flat wasn't a lost cause, at least until both Harry and James assured her it was, although she didn't seem to believe them.

"Don't worry, Harry, that hair is both a curse and a blessing. There will be a time when you're glad it's not manageable," James said with a grin.

Remus, taking a sip from his cup, accidentally spit the liquid back in the mug, then set it down upon hearing this. "James, am I missing something? When was it your hair being unruly helped you in the least?"

"You know, Moony," Sirius said, a hint of mischief in his eyes, "I also cannot think of said moment of good fortune. Shall we explore our past in a role playing manner searching for this time?"

"Yes, Padfoot, let's."

"We can do without this, you know," James said irritably, as his face began to heat up from the embarrassment was what was to come.

"Hey, Evans, go out with me!" Sirius exclaimed excitedly to Remus as he ran a hand through his hair and flicked it back.

"I didn't do that."

Remus put on a high voice, ignoring James. "What's the matter with your thick head, Potter? Always messing with you hair thinking it makes you look cool, you have less of a chance with me than the Giant Squid!"

By now, James was bright red, Harry sounded as if he was in the process of busting a lung from laughing, Tonks was cracking up and would have fallen out of her chair if not for Remus pulling her up before she could hit the floor, Arthur was chuckling appreciatively, and Molly had her lips pursed.

Sirius and Remus, trying to keep straight faces for the full affect of their role play, continued.

"Then I say, 'Don't worry, mate, I'll help you out!' And use a spell I just learned on him. And Prongs says, 'Thanks, Pads. Hey, Evans, how about now?' "

Again in a high voice, Remus says, "How about nev- Ew! Potter what bloody heck did you do to your face?!"

Sirius couldn't hold it in, he was laughing loudly as his cousin and godson were laughing, and Remus too.

"You should have seen the look on our Prongsie's face at_that_one!" Sirius was howling with his bark-like laughter.

"What'd you do?" Harry asked, forgetting, momentarily, his impending trial.

"Well," Sirius said, calming down enough to speak, "since Lily said she'd rather go out with a squid than-"

"_Giant_squid," James corrected. "She didn't say any squid, she only preferred the giant one to me. If this has to be done, can we at least not make it out to be any worse than what really happened, huh?"

"She still preferred a squid to you, Prongs, doesn't get much worse than that."

"So what happened?" Harry asked again.

"Oh! Well... Lemme see if I still have that picture; this is too good for words alone." Sirius jumped up to find said picture and James spat out the coffee he had been drinking.

"WHAT?! What picture?!" he asked mortified.

"This one," Sirius replied jovially, handing a photograph to Harry.

The James in the picture was about Harry's age and gesticulating angrily. He was, apparently, too angry to notice the camera as he shouted something that looked like (there was no sound in the photo) 'WHAT DID YOU DO?!' Squid-like tentacles had sprouted all over his face.

Everyone except James and Mrs. Weasley had a good laugh at that, Harry's face even turned bright red as he clutched his sides unable to breathe.

"Well, Arthur," Molly addressed her spouse, "isn't it time you took Harry to the Ministry? It wouldn't look too good if he were late to his trial. A first impression can make all the difference." It was obvious, however, that she wished to end the current discussion.

"Oh, right, yes."

"Hey, sorry we can't come with you, Harry," James said, "but you can't very well bring a stag into the Ministry of Magic, and Dumbledore said it'd be a good idea for Padfoot to stay home." He said the last part with clear resentment in his voice; Sirius didn't look to thrilled about that arrangement either.

"When was Dumbledore here?" Harry asked, the memories of being kept in the dark and ignored by his Headmaster all summer coming back in full.

"He left just after James woke up," Sirius said. "Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, son, and don't got too worked up over this trial. Dumbledore won't let them expel you, and if they do, well, then you'll just have achieved what none of us ever did," James finished with a wink.

"But we did come pretty damn close," Sirius added.

"What'd you do?"

"I think it would be best if you left now, Arthur. Good luck, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, almost shoving her husband and Harry out the door, but not before James had hugged Harry good-bye of course.

As Molly ushered Harry and Arthur out of the room, James couldn't help but think Sirius was more than, as Moony put it, 'leaning in the right direction,' he was absolutely correct. Molly Weasley couldn't seem to remember just who's son Harry was. While James appreciated everything the Weasleys had done for his son, he felt Molly needed to back off. After all, Harry was his son, not hers, regardless to how she felt about that matter.

_**A/N: Please remember to leave a review.**_


	7. Delayed Details

**_A/N: Chapter seven, yay, and I've already started chapter eight, so it shouldn't be too long before I get it up, if I get everything else up first. Please tell me if there's anything I need to clarify in the chapter, or entire story, whichever. _**

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_While James appreciated everything the Weasleys had done for his son, he felt Molly needed to back off. After all, Harry _was_ his son, _not_ hers, regardless to how she felt about that matter._

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**Chapter 7**

After Harry and Arthur left, James couldn't find the heart to finish his breakfast. For everyone being so certain Harry would get off, James noticed that they all, including himself, had become rather anxious after they left.

"Prongs."

James wondered what would happen if Harry were expelled. How would Dumbledore explain him not going back to Lily's sister's? Because that wouldn't happen even if hell _did_ freeze over. Of course that would be Dumbledore's problem, wouldn't it? Dumbledore would have a good solution to this, no doubt.

"Prongs."

But then again, the Headmaster didn't always have the best solutions when it came to James' son. No one could tell Harry more than he "needs to know", something Molly Weasley felt she should determine the limits of. And worse, he sent Harry to live with the Dursleys, and James specifically remembered Lily putting in their will for Harry not to be sent to live with them no matter the circumstance.

"James."

Even if Sirius were in Azkaban and Remus was unable to care for Harry all the time because of his 'furry little problem', why couldn't he have gone to Jas? Even if the Ministry had come to the conclusion that she was mentally unfit to raise a child, like they came to the conclusion that Sirius was a murderer and Remus a monster, she was still Harry's godmother, and her 'time of the month', unlike Remus', wouldn't interfere with any child-caring duties. Of course, that didn't stop the thought of what his son would have turned out like had he been raised by Jasmine Black from causing him to shudder like nothing else.

"PRONGS!!"

James jumped a mile in his seat when he heard Sirius yell into his ear.

"Merlin, Padfoot," James muttered. "What?"

"We need to talk," Sirius said seriously, indicating himself, Remus (who nodded in agreement), and James.

"Oh, about what?" Molly asked.

That woman could really exasperate him, heck, all of the Marauders (among others), at times.

Padfoot and Moony shared a glance. "Something," Sirius said meaningfully, more to James than Mrs. Weasley.

James nodded as his two friends stood, and followed them out of the kitchen and into the old study. After Sirius gave Kreacher a boot out the door (Sirius said it had helped the both of them, James tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress a grin and a snicker, and Remus rolled his eyes and said that Sirius was enjoying that a bit too much), and put a Silencing Charm, along with a few other protective spells, on the door, the three Marauders sank into chairs in the dimly lit room.

"What do you need us to do?"

"What?" James asked, caught off guard. That wasn't the question he had been expecting.

"Anything you need us to do, we're here for you," Remus answered.

"I- I don't understand. Wha-"

"Lily," Sirius said simply. "We know just by the way you've been acting she's alive. We'll do whatever we can to help you get her back."

James looked over at Remus.

"Anything at all, mate."

James didn't even know what to say. The Marauders had always been there for one another, though even the darkest of times, but this... "Thanks," he mumbled out, sheepishly, more grateful than he could ever tell them, and not unlike the thanks Remus had given when he first learned about James, Sirius, Jasmine, Peter, and their Animagus expedient to help him through his lycanthropy.

"Don't," Remus said. "You helped me out in a way no one else ever could have. And even if you hadn't, that wouldn't stop me from helping you now."

"Yeah, Prongs," Sirius added. "We haven't been best mates since first year for nothing."

"I don't know, Molly," an annoyed voice said as the door to the study opened. "So how far'd you get?" Jasmine asked, re-administering her cousin's charms on the door.

"I thought you were with Harry, and what was that all about?"

"Once Dumbledore showed up, there wasn't much more I could do. And Molly's just sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, as usual." She had used that phrase to describe Mrs. Weasley before, although instead of 'as usual', she said 'doesn't she know how much easier all of our lives would be if she just didn't?' "So where are we?" she asked again, no hint of a joke in her voice.

"James was just about to tell us where he's been these past fourteen years so we can figure something out to get Lily out of there."

"That's going to be a problem, Padfoot." James's voice was hollow.

All eyes were on James now, not that they weren't before.

James couldn't bring himself to look at the best friends he'd ever had, so he looked instead at his hands in his lap. His voice had gotten some feeling back. "I don't even know where I've been for the past fourteen years. Even if I did, I'd have no idea how to get there."

He felt Sirius sit next to him on the couch and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll find a way, mate. We always do."

James nodded, not believing what his nod was in agreement to.

"Well, Prongs, you obviously got here, so..."

"That was different, Jas," he told her. "I had a one use Portkey that time. And don't ask if I still have it, I have no idea where it is."

"James," Remus asked slowly. "How did you get out?"

James took a deep breath. This had been the question he was expecting, and dreading, most since he first got out. He didn't want to explain how he was sent to kill his son, even if he knew they knew he never would.

Thankfully, James was spared answering when they head someone, who turned out to be Ron and Hermione, pound on the door and say "They're back!" There was no dispute to continue the discussion later in the day.

Harry was smiling, looking, hopefully, as relieved as he felt. "Cleared of all charges," he said to his father, loud enough for everyone else to hear too.

As the congratulations went around, Harry seemed to notice something along the lines of James had earlier in the morning: For everyone being so certain he'd get off, they sure did seem relieved; especially Fred, George, and Ginny who were dancing around chant-yell-singing "He got off! He got off! He got off!-- HE GOT OFF! HE GOT OFF! HE GOT OFF!" until their mother yelled at them to "SHUT UP!"

In the midst of all the commotion, James got ahold of his son's shoulder, and led him out of the kitchen, catching the eyes of the other three Marauders, who nodded and silently followed them.

Once back in the study, James found he had delayed too much. He had to tell them the complete truth. Now. James felt he should tell Harry first, and alone, but he knew there would be no way he could say all of what needed to be said twice. He just hoped that they would understand the reason for his actions, and that James would give his life before doing anything that could possibly hurt his son.


	8. Dangerous Denouement

_**A/N: The chapter title only refers to what happens in the chapter, not the entire story.**_

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_He just hoped that they would understand the reason for his actions, and that James would give his life before doing anything that could possibly hurt his son._

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**Chapter Eight**

"You know that I'd never hurt you, though, right, Harry?" James asked desperately when he had finished telling them why Voldemort sent him to Privet Drive. "No matter what. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, Dad, I know," Harry said truthfully. The honesty James saw in his son's eyes when he said that gave James such a feeling of security like he didn't believe possible.

James pulled Harry close, into a forceful hug. He couldn't believe how much he loved his son. They had only really gotten to know each other for a short period of time, but they were already so close. Perhaps is was that they had lived so long believing the other dead that they didn't want to forget that the other could have died, or to take advantage of the natural and unconditional love between parent and child. But whatever it was, James didn't care, nor, it seemed, did Harry. There were just happy to have their family again, and now they, especially James, just needed Lily to make it complete again.

When James had finished telling what he knew of how he had 'escaped', "Wow," was all Remus could say, Sirius was stuttering incoherently on his words out of anger from what Voldemort had put his best friends through, looking ready to hex the next thing that crossed his path, which would probably be Kreacher, and Jasmine just swore.

Once they had all regained his or her composition, Remus said, "If Voldemort-" Harry found it a nice change to be in a room where no one flinched at hearing that name "-was really expecting you to do this, James, he would have given you a way to get back."

"That's what worries me," James admitted. When dealing with someone as obsessed with power, immortality, and everything the way Voldemort was, there could be no telling what he meant to happen until it was done.

"Well, what about the knife? You still have that, don't you?" Jasmine asked. Her tone wasn't accusing, but if James had disposed of the Portkey that brought him to Privet Drive, he may have discarded the knife as well.

James visibly became tense, he wished he had gotten rid of the thing that was meant to... But he realized that his chances of returning to where ever Lily was would be greater with it than without.

"I'll get it," Sirius said, and before another word could be said, he had left, found the dagger in James's room, and returned with it. "Don't worry, Prongs," he said, telling them that he didn't know of the knife's existence before then. "I've known you long enough to know where you put the junk you have to keep."

Sirius put the blade on a coffee table, and no one, not even James, looked away from it for a while.

For Harry, the situation could about be described as surreal. In front of him was the knife shaped like a snake that his father was supposed to kill him with. It wasn't like he expected James to leap up, grab it, and stab him through the heart or anything, but it was still... unnerving to see the knife lying there.

"There has to be something," Remus said. "That doesn't seem to be a trinket he would just give away."

"You mean the knife or Prongs?"

James gave her a look, ready to defend himself from what she had said, taking it as a joking insult.

"No, I'm serious," Jasmine insisted, clamping her hand over his cousin's mouth before he could make some annoying pun about how only he was 'Sirius'. "Voldemort hated you, James. I'm willing to bet that the only reason the Death Eaters haven't finished you and Lily off is because he expressed some desire to kill you himself. If he had you in a position to torture you until dead, why wouldn't he take advantage of it? He just let you go. Prongs, he's expecting to get you back, with the knife."

"And my son's dead body?" James snapped back, not fully understanding his reason for doing so.

"Hey, don't get snippy with me. It's not like this is my fault or anything. I'm just trying to help you."

James sighed, and, out of habit he had thought was long forgotten, ran a hand through his hair, making it, if possible, even messier. "I know," he said, as if trying to remind himself of it. "I know. It's just... this is... This is so goddamn frustrating!" He gave the coffee table leg a kick, but ignored the dull throb that then resided in his toe.

None of the Marauders gave any notice to the coffee table moving an inch or so away from their friend, but Harry was startled. However, he did understand, though the situation wasn't the same, he guessed the way he was feeling in the beginning of the summer break being constantly kept in the dark was mutual to the way his father was feeling now.

"You don't have to take it out on us, mate," Sirius said calmly and seriously, and slightly hurt. "But I'll lend you Kreacher if you want," he added as an afterthought with a bit too much hope in his voice.

"James," Remus said, breaking the tension filled silence that had settled over the room. "What _exactly_ did Voldemort say he wanted you to do?"

James hated saying this, but it had to be done, for Lily's sake. "He said he wanted me to... to..." He couldn't bring himself to say the next two words, not again. James thought of Harry... thought of him dead... He fought against the water threatening to build up behind his eyes. Was this how Moony felt when they first forced him to tell them the truth, admit with his voice what he was? James still remembered that day, how they cornered Remus on the way to class, told him they knew his secret, said they wanted the lies to stop, tell him to say it so that those lies would end; he had turned pale and was shaking, much like James believed he himself was now, and James wondered why the hell did they do that? What, a confirming nod wouldn't suffice or something? He closed his eyes trying to find his voice again.

"Just skip that bit," Remus said, his voice filled with understanding. Apparently it was like that day, and Remus remembered that day too; Remus thought he was going to lose the only friends he had, and James felt like he was losing the trust of the only son he had.

James opened his eyes and nodded gratefully. "He said to prove it with Harry's... with his... with his blood on the... on the... you know."

"Is it possibly to activate a Portkey that way?" Jasmine asked Remus after a moment's consideration of what her words would be.

"You're asking me this because... ?"

"You're the bookworm," Sirius said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well..." Remus said slowly, trying to recall all he knew about Portkeys and other wizarding forms of transportation, well aware that everyone in the room was hanging onto his words. "I suppose, in theory, it would be possible. But I have no knowledge of it ever actually being done of even attempted. They can be activated by touch, we know, rather than having timed activation, but this seems a little... extreme."

The Marauders and Harry sat in silence, contemplating Remus's words. Maybe this wouldn't be as impossible as they were first thinking. Of course, there was still danger, both known and unknown, and the chance that any of them could quite possibly die in the process of facing that danger.

"Well," Sirius started, "I guess we could-"

"We aren't cutting him with that thing!" James all but shouted at his best mate.

Sirius blinked, his voice gave away the feeling of hurt he felt at James's words. "Do you think I'm stupid or something? I was going to say we could put Harry's blood onto the knife and see what happens. Did you really think I was going to suggest stabbing him? Especially with that?! I love Harry too, Prongs."

Harry was startled. No, not 'startled' really, he knew that Sirius cared for him a great deal, the man had broken out of Azkaban for him after all, but Sirius had never before voiced how he felt about his godson, at least not to Harry's knowledge.

"We know that, Padfoot," Jasmine said hurriedly, "you just tend to act a bit... radical in your solutions at times."

"How so?" Sirius demanded, obviously offended.

"Mate, you just got back from living in a cave and eating rats for about half a year."

Sirius shrugged, acting as though living in caves and surviving off rats was something people did in every day life, not just his own.

"I'll try it," Harry decided. "What Sirius said."

"Why don't we figure out how we're going to go about this before bleeding you?" Jasmine suggested. "From what James said, it's unlikely more than one of us, at first at least, will be able to get away with Protkeying with him."

"You're staying," James said firmly, leaving no room for argument, and pointing to his son.

There was a knock at the door, and Remus went to answer it. He came back to the area they were occupying a moment later saying that Molly Weasley wanted the lot of them downstairs for dinner, since they had walked out not halfway through lunch.

They ate quickly and in silence, excusing themselves the minute they were done. Harry had gotten the hint from the Marauders, and made to follow them back to the study, but Ron, Hermione, and Ginny cornered him on the stairs.

"Harry, what's going on?" Ron asked bluntly.

"They've been in there all day," Hermione pointed out. "And since you've gotten back, you have been too."

Harry cast a worried glance down the stairs, not wanting anyone to overhear. "I can't talk about it now, but I'll tell you guys later, I promise. I just really need to get back up there now."

Hermione looked nervous, and glance at Ron before turning back to Harry. "Do you promise you'll tell us, Harry?"

"Yeah, once they think we're all asleep. There are some people who just, well, they can't hear what's going on just yet, but I'll tell you guys later if you promise to keep it secret, I promise."

"Fair enough," Ron said. "Growing up with Fred and George around Mum all the time, I hear you, mate."

Hermione nodded, as long as Harry was going to tell them, not hearing it for a few hours couldn't hurt, after all, Harry had to wait to hear about what was going on in the Wizarding world that summer. "You had better remember to tell us, Harry Potter."

"Don't worry, I won't let him sleep if he doesn't," Ron stated.

Ginny, however, wasn't as easily discouraged from finding out right then and there. "Why can't we just go in with you?" she practically demanded.

"They, as in my dad, Sirius, Jasmine, and Lupin, say that if your mum thinks they've gotten you involved, it may not turn out for the best. She already all but hates all of them, except for Lupin," Harry said truthfully, hoping he hadn't offended Ginny.

"Yeah," Ron said thoughtfully. "I think she's mad that they won't let her adopt you or something, Harry. And she only likes Lupin because he helped Fred and George scrape and O.W.L. each in his class."

"Well," Ginny started.

"Ginerva Weasley!" her mother's voice shouted up t them from the kitchen.

"Oops, I guess she found them."

"Get down here and explain this!" Molly demanded.

"Found what?"

"The Extendable Ears," Ginny replied. "I must have left them at the table. It's ok though, we have more." She started down the stairs, but turned around to say the last word to Harry. "You had better tell us, Harry."

Harry nodded and continued on his way.

In the end, they decided it would be best if Remus went with James, and he would be Disillusioned so that they didn't lose the Invisibility Cloak Harry was willing to let them use. They would have two of the three Two-Way (more like Three-Way) mirrors that James, Sirius, and Jasmine had made in school, and the third would be left with the three remaining behind. They could always be in constant contact in no one was around, and could maybe figure out where they were and be able to get over there to help. Harry though, would remain at Grimmauld Place if his godparents joined in the action at the Death Eaters', and Voldemort's, stronghold.

They decided on Remus because, they concluded, that if worse came to worse, he could claim that he assisted in spilling Harry's blood because the wolf inside him was becoming too wild to control, and he wanted to prove he could be a loyal asset to Voldemort. It wasn't the best plan, but as Remus knew, hopefully, enough Occlumency to make it work for a little while at least, it was better than nothing.

The next item on the agenda no one wanted to bring up. True, it would probably only take a drop of Harry's blood to work, so a prick on the finger would be enough, but no one wanted to bring it up.

After a moment, Harry "forgot" that there was something sharp that needed to be fixed as it was jutting out of the armrest of his seat, and pressed his finger against it.

Jasmine was able to hold Harry's finger over the snake knife and apply the right pressure to force a couple drops of his blood onto the blade.

Nothing happened.

"Well," she said, healing her godson's finger with a tap of her wand, "it may not show any visible signs of activation."

No one responded to that statement.

"Ok." James ran a hand through his hair uncertainly, taking a deep breath.

"Dad-"

James engulfed him in a tight hug that he felt Harry return. He was fully aware of the fact that he might never see his son again. A part of him was yelling 'What kind of father is he?!' at this, but another part of him knew that if he didn't go, someone else would, and he could never ask that of his friends.

"See you soon, ok?" James said, pulling apart from his son.

Harry looked anything but convinced (after all, the plan for getting them back to safety was 'We're working on it; don't worry, we'll figure something out.'), but nodded anyways.

Remus was Disillusioned, and he and James held each other's arm tightly. Bracing himself, James gripped the hilt of the horrible dagger.

Again, nothing happened.

Sirius stomped his foot, Jasmine muttered something under her breath, and Harry let out an unnoticed sigh of relief. He wanted his mother back, true, but he didn't want to lose his father, again.

"I don't think," Remus's seemingly disembodied voice said, "that more blood will help any."

After a moment of silent contemplation by the room, Harry understood what his ex-professor was saying: The blood had to be drawn from the knife.

Without thinking about it, and before anyone could stop him, Harry grabbed the knife and made a small cut on his arm.

"Harry, no!"

James leapt to Harry's side as his knees hit the floor. He had dropped the dagger, and no one missed the snake's eyes glow red.

Harry was clutching his arm, trying not to cry out. His arm, where the cut was made, was gushing blood, but Harry didn't understand; the cut was small and shallow, not near his wrist, it shouldn't have been bleeding that much, should it? Not to mention that his entire left arm felt as though it were burning ever since the blade made contact with his skin. He couldn't even make out the voices around him, or what the slight, brief pressure on his temple was.

James was unable to string enough words together to create a coherent sentence. Jasmine and Sirius (since Remus was terrible at healing spells) were trying every healing healing spell they knew, and nothing sealed the cut or stopped the flow of blood. If anything, it seemed to be increasing.

"James, Remus, go, just go. We'll look after him. But you have to go, now. We still don't know what activating that thing has done. Go!"

"Prongs?"

He felt Remus place a hand on his shoulder, and the reality of what was happening jerked him back to his senses. James quickly leaned forward and kissed Harry on his temple, praying he would be all right, then reached out and grabbed the handle of the knife, Remus holding onto him. Instantly, he felt a tug at his naval, and he fell into an empty room, feeling and hearing Remus fall beside him.

Quickly, Remus went to the shadows for better cover, not that there was much light to create any, and James dropped the blood-stained dagger noisily of the floor, looking around the empty room. The _familiar_ empty room.

He was back.


	9. Dreadful Direction

_**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

* * *

**The _familiar_ empty room._

He was back.

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Voices were heard outside, and James felt a panic begin to rise in him like never before. This wasn't like the time he was here before, there was so much more at stake now.

"Remus, find her if you can. Please, just find her and go," James pleaded in whispers. He'd feel so much better knowing that Lily and Remus were out of this place safely.

The door opened, and two Death Eaters entered. James felt Remus place a hand on his shoulder, and the Death Eaters then apparently felt him move out of the room.

"What was that?" a male voice that James didn't recognize asked.

"Nothing, and even if it were something, that wouldn't matter; he's here, just as the Dark Lord said," another answered.

The second voice James did recognize, but he had never seen nor heard of Avery in this place before. James had thought it was only for Voldemort's most trusted, but he guessed that with Voldemort's recent "return", he had told more of his followers of this place, where ever it was. It would make sense, him preparing for James to bring back half the Order, and to keep Lily from getting out, at least alive...

James pushed that thought out of his mind. Voldemort needed lily to ensure James's return. He couldn't kill her. But now that James was back... No, she was alive. She had to be. 

* * *

Back at Grimmauld Place, Sirius and Jasmine were starting to panic, which wasn't something they did easy or often.

Their godson was lying on the couch. He was drenched in sweat, and running a high fever, but shivering uncontrollably, freezing and so covered in blankets. The arm that had been cut was magically held in the air, in hopes that the bleeding would slow. The cousins had _seen_ Harry cut his arm, and there was no way he cut deep enough for it to have resulted in that much blood loss. It was as if his entire arm had been sliced off, and that meant only one thing: The dagger had been cursed. That much had been previously known, but it was worse than originally thought, there was absolutely nothing that would make the oozing blood stop or even slow; they had wrapped Harry's arm in bandages as tightly as possible without breaking the bones, and used the most powerful healing spells they knew, but their efforts had been futile. They couldn't give up though, Harry was their godson.

"Sirius, get Molly!" Jasmine finally ordered in desperation.

"What?"

"Molly Weasley, maybe she knows something we don't. Sirius, please," she begged, not wanting to leave Harry to get the woman herself.

Sirius nodded, and quickly wiped Harry's bangs, plastered by sweat to his forehead, off his face, then left the room in search for Mrs. Weasley.

Not a moment later, Molly came running into the room with Sirius and Tonks at her heels. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George were close behind them. Upon seeing Harry bleeding and shivering violently, Fred and George were rendered speechless, Ron paled considerably, Ginny looked close to passing out, and Hermione screamed. Tonks then took it upon herself to usher the Weasley children and Hermione out of the room.

On Molly's orders, Jasmine tore apart the medicine cabinet and found a vile of Blood Replenishing Potion - half empty. Cursing under her breath for finding only so little of the potion that would help keep Harry alive, she full out ran back to they study to give what little potion she did find to Molly. The witch immediately forced the contents down Harry's throat, making sure not to spill a drop.

Silent tears spilled down Jasmine's face, and Sirius seemed close to crying himself as he looked at his godson's deathly pale face.

"I'm going to try Dumbledore," Sirius said in a low, hoarse, toneless voice that was not his own. They had tried contacting Dumbledore not long ago, but he had been unreachable.

"And get more Blood Replenishing Potion," Molly muttered distractedly, trying her hardest to keep the boy who was like a son to her alive with the help of the witch she had previously never gotten along with.

The minute Sirius set foot outside the study door - everyone had silently agreed it would be best not to move Harry - he was bombarded with questions and a blur of red. Ginny was silently crying, sitting still as stone, Hermione looked close to hyperventilating, Ron had been sick (he went to the bathroom when he felt it coming), and Tonks was either unwilling or unable to change her hair from mousy brown to its usual bubblegum pink.

Except for Ginny, they all rushed to Sirius, making demands to know what was going on, but Sirius ignored their question and continued on his way to the kitchen fireplace to try again to reach the Headmaster. "Find Blood Replenishing Potion," was all Sirius said to Tonks, actually, all he said period. 

* * *

Remus made his way through the labyrinth of Voldemort's hideout, mentally cursing it all. Every corridor looked the same as the last, and offered his nose the same repulsive smell of metallic blood. He held his nose to keep from gagging, but wasn't sure how much longer he could go without spilling the contents of his stomach all over the place.

He checked in every door he came across that he could see into without opening for Lily, and listened for breathing behind the ones he couldn't. He didn't dare try to open any though, it wouldn't do well to alert Voldemort and his Death Eaters what he and James were trying to pull.

Remus almost smiled, it reminded him of some of the more absurd pranks the Marauders had pulled at Hogwarts, like bewitching the enchanted sky-ceiling of the Great Hall to rain on the Slytherins, only this time, it wasn't for laughs and the price of getting caught was a lot higher than a few weeks of detention.

Although he hadn't been walking that long - thirty minutes, not even - Remus had to admit that he was lost. He had no idea how to get around in this place, and there was no one in it able and willing to help him. The worst part, Remus felt though, was that he hadn't found Lily. James and Lily were two of the best friends he'd ever had, and he couldn't let them down; they had been there for him in the past, and Remus wanted to be there for them now. And Harry, he just couldn't let Harry down. He had to keep looking, but he had no idea where to even go from where he was. 

* * *

Death Eaters restrained James, his bruised form panting heavily, as Lord Voldemort entered the room. The five or so Death Eaters also in the room had been granted permission to "keep Potter occupied" until their master got to the room. That meant torture, and Voldemort had taken his time getting there.

"Ah, James, we meet again," the snake-like creature said with condescension, the malicious glint in his red eyes emphasizing James's helplessness of the situation he was in.

James wasn't going to mix words. "Where's my wife, you fucking bastard?!"

"Language, Potter, language," Voldemort said with amusement, clearly expressing his entertainment at hearing James's words that held threats he could never carry out.

"Let her go!" James roared.

"Why?" Voldemort asked, not at all taken aback by James's outburst.

James's only response was to struggle against those restraining him, causing the robed evil standing before him to laugh at his attempt to get free.

"Quite a temper, James. I suppose that's where your sorry excuse for a son got his?"

"Don't you _dare_ talk about Harry, you--"

"And why is that? Out of respect for the dead, James?"

James's eyes shot open and he ceased his struggle. "He... he's not..."

"Not yet, perhaps, but in a matter of time, I can assure you, he will be."

James listened in dumb disbelief. Harry couldn't be dead, not his son Harry, not after everything that had happened. Harry was alive, not dying, not now. He couldn't- he couldn't be. He had not lost his son again! But... _no_.

Voldemort picked up the snake dagger, and turned to James. "I am so grateful that you returned this to me, James. And you don't even know what this is, do you?"

It was impossible to tell if James was taking in one word of what Voldemort said, but the Dark Lord either took no notice that the conversation had become one-sided or he just didn't care, probably the latter.

Voldemort chuckled and answered his own question. "No, of course you don't," he said, tucking the dagger into his robes. "The blade holds a mighty curse, as I'm sure dear Harry is by now well aware of. The wound will rival that of a basilisk bite; even if it is not poisonous, it will not heal until the victim is dead. Not even Phoenix tears will help," Voldemort said with a sneer to James's lost look of helplessness for the danger his only child was in. "But not... What to do with you?" Voldemort started pacing in front of James, pondering.

"My Lord, you could Mark him, my Lord," one Death Eater dared to speak up.

"Yes," Voldemort said slowly, considering the suggestion, obviously pleased with it because he didn't punish the Death Eater who dared to speak out of line. "Yes, I could." His eyes lit up with a grin of evil. "But..." He approached James and pulled out the dagger, still stained with Harry's blood. "That seems too good for you, doesn't it, James?" He rubbed the horrible blade against James's cheek, smearing Harry's blood onto his father's face.

James jerked his head away, disgusted, causing Voldemort to chuckle once more.

"Of course it is," Voldemort said, turning away. He fingered the blade fondly, the blade that rid him of the greatest nuisance in his path. "Now James, the curse of the dagger works only twice, and, almost regrettably, your precious son was its second victim, but that doesn't mean this charming artifact has lost its use and potential, does it?" he asked, with his back to James and the Death Eaters.

James stayed silent, not knowing what the sick monster in front of him was planning on next.

"Remove his shirt," Voldemort ordered.

The Death Eaters did as they were told, and Voldemort turned and took a moment to take a satisfied look at the ugly bruises forming on James's skin.

He took a step towards James, his smile and red eyes showing traces of nothing but evil, and began to carve the Dark Mark into James's chest, with the same blade he claimed took the life of his son. 

* * *

**_A/N: So what'd you think?_**


	10. Difficile Death

_**A/N: Extra long chapter, yay! And, if all goes as planned, there will only be one more chapter in Death and Destiny.  
Warning: This chapter is called "Difficile Death" for a reason!!!**  
__**

* * *

**He took a step towards James, his smile and red eyes showing traces of nothing but evil, and began to carve the Dark Mark into James' chest with the same dagger he claimed took the life of his son.

* * *

_  
**Chapter Ten**

Remus continued to wander the seemingly endless corridors of Voldemort's abode. It had been quite a while now, and he was growing a tad bit worried. He had yet to find Lily - or to run into anyone for that matter - and that gave cause for concern about what was happening to one of his best friends, being alone with Death Eaters, and possibly Voldemort himself, all this time.

Of course, Remus didn't _want_ to leave his best mate alone with Death Eaters and Voldemort for any amount of time, but James Potter could be the most stubborn person on the planet when he wanted to be, and when it came to Lily, he wanted to. James wasn't leaving this place again unless he knew Lily was safe or taking her to safety himself, and Remus knew this. Remus also knew that the best chance he had at getting the Potters out alive was by focusing on getting Lily out first, then seeing James to safety.

And then, Remus realized with a mental groan of frustration directed at himself, he would be home and able to beg forgiveness from the girlfriend he liked like no other for not filling her in on what he was doing and where he was going. But it would be worth it. If being on this mission where he and those he was closest to might not be alive at the end of made him realize anything, it was that he loved her, and just wanted to be with her. He, Sirius, and Jasmine had used to poke fun at James for the way he spoke about Lily, the way he acted when thinking about her, but now Remus understood how James could operate like that, because he felt the same way about Nymphadora. He had only known her for about a year; he had met her when Dumbledore called together his more devoted Order members just a month after Remus had resigned from his teaching post at Hogwarts from suspicions Voldemort would soon be attempting something big to return to power. Remus had gone over to talk with Jasmine and her "dog" and ended up meeting her enthusiastic niece with spiked bubblegum pink hair. They had only been dating for a few months - he started going out with her after much persuasion and many threats from Sirius - but Nymphadora Tonks quickly became the best thing that ever happened to him. He was enamored with her. He loved her.

_Moony! Focus! _a voice inside his head shouted at him. He had to get out of his own thoughts and focus on the task at hand so he _could_ get back to Tonks. He had, of course, been looking for Lily while thinking, but he hadn't been as wary as he should have been. He had to make it home alive, and see that his fellow Marauder and fellow Marauder's wife got out alive too.

Remus flattened himself against the wall as two Death Eaters came down the corridor and entered a room opposite the wall Remus had pressed up against. Cautiously, wand drawn, Remus followed through the door they left open.

Remus looked around the dimly lit room, it seemed to be some kind of store room, and the Death Eaters were searching for something and exchanging words when they didn't find it; and they were completely oblivious to the disillusioned presence in the room.

With as much sleuth as possible, Remus aimed his wand at one of the Death Eaters and cast a nonverbal stunner. The spell hit its target square in the back, and he fell unconscious into the stack of boxes in front of him.

"What the--?"

The remaining Death Eater spun around, wand at the ready, but Remus was too quick for him. Another stunning spell and Remus was hiding the two unconscious bodies in the collection of items scattered around the room.

Remus took the moment - and opportunity - to look around. He didn't find anything unusual or even unpredictable, except for a few items he thought would be worth taking. Stowing them in his pocket, he left the room for the deserted corridor, and realized that if he had any hope of finding his way around, he'd need a map, or someone to follow, preferably the former. He headed down another corridor, not even able to recognize it enough to know whether or not he had been down that one before.

_

* * *

_Sirius threw some Floo Powder into the fireplace, calling for Dumbledore. To his immense surprise, the flames turned bright green, and Fawkes the Phoenix flew through, followed closely by the Headmaster.

"Hello, Sirius," the aging wizard said. "I understand that you have been trying to contact me for quite some time, and I apologize for being unable to get here sooner."

Sirius looked at Dumbledore's calm face, and, while he was relieved that the person who might be able to help his godson more than anyone else had arrived, he wanted to scream. How could anyone be so calm while his godson was upstairs dying?!

But a reasoned voice, that sounded oddly like Remus, reminded him that Dumbledore had only just arrived, and therefore didn't know what was happening. If Sirius wanted to help Harry, he knew he would have to remain calm, something that he was finding exceedingly difficult to do now that the task of contacting Dumbledore was completed and off his mind.

"Harry," Sirius managed to say in a strangled voice that sounded most unlike his own.

"What about Harry?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

Yet Sirius didn't miss the flash of fear that showed on his old Headmaster's face; and that did nothing to help calm his nerves.

Sirius had the question answered for him when the sound of glass breaking was heard upstairs, followed by Tonks's teary voice shouting "There is no more!"

"There has to be more!" Jasmine's shout was heard downstairs as well.

Whether is was the glass breaking or someone shouting, Sirius didn't know or care, but when he heard his mother's portrait go off again, he couldn't keep it in any longer. Shouting and cursing at the top of his lungs, he rushed to the painting to shut it up.

Dumbledore, however, hurried up the stairs with Fawkes perched on his shoulder, to see for himself just what was happening. He was honestly surprised.

The Weasley children and Hermione were looking through anything and everything that could contain a potion - more specifically, Blood Replenishing Potion - Tonks seemed to have recently abandoned her search and was going into the study to answer Molly Weasley's call for assistance, and Jasmine was sitting just outside the study door, a large assortment of books scattered around her as she leafed through every one as fast as she could without missing anything.

Dumbledore walked into the study, his features betrayed nothing as he watched Tonks and Molly re-bandage Harry's arm and force a few drops of a potion down his throat. He walked over to the three and calmly had the two witches move aside. Pulling out his wand, Dumbledore muttered incoherently over Harry, trying to find exactly what had done this. He knew it had to be some kind of powerful dark magic for the occupants of Grimmauld Place to be this state. Fawkes perched by Harry's exposed, bleeding arm, and shed two tears over the wound. Dumbledore paused to watch. Nothing happened. The Phoenix Tears hadn't worked, Harry's arm was still bleeding.

Dumbledore sighed, hoping it wasn't too late, as he muttered one last incantation.

"I will do what I can, but I know of nothing that will help Harry at this time," he said regrettably to the anticipating women.

_THUMP!_ They turned to see Jasmine standing in the doorway. She had dropped the book she had been holding, and looked ready to join it on the floor.

Tonks went forward to help her aunt stand, and guided her back to the corridor. Jasmine sank to the floor, trying to digest what she had heard Dumbledore say. Tonks sank down beside her, and Jasmine wrapped her arms tightly around the younger witch. Although she still had many questions about what was happening, Tonks didn't voice them, now wasn't the time.

Molly," Dumbledore asked softly after the other two left, "would you assist me in this?"

"Why, yes, of course," she said, still shocked by the revelation that Albus Dumbledore hadn't been able to help Harry.

_

* * *

_James fell to his knees, panting heavily, as Voldemort stepped away. Two Death Eaters still had a strong grip on him, and his chest was bleeding profoundly. The cuts weren't deep enough to kill him, but James had felt the power that resided in the blade as it had pierced his skin, and it hurt, much worse than anything he had been expecting. He knew unconsciousness was close, he could feel the blackness creeping up on him, but then a jet of light hit him. It caused his senses to become more aware, more awake, and while it didn't make his body feel any stronger, James knew his chance of passing out had just been eliminated.

"James," Voldemort said with mock disappointment, sitting in his Dark Mark throne he had just conjured, "we can't have you passing from consciousness when there's so much I'm sure you're_ dying _to hear now, can we? Especially not after I presented you with such an honor as to bear my Mark for ridding me of the nuisance of Harry Potter."

How he hated that thing who called himself a wizard.

"Crucio!"

James screamed as the orange light hit him, and the worse physical pain that he had ever felt consumed his entire being. Once the curse was lifted, James found himself unable to move off the floor he had fallen to.

"It would do well for you to pay attention, Potter."

James's only response was to turn his head so no one would see the single tear he had allowed to escape.

"I may even let you see your wife again, before she is put to death, that is."

That caught James's attention. "No, please," he rasped.

"Then listen, Potter. I want you all to understand the power of Lord Voldemort."

James tried to show that he was listening. Anything to keep Lily alive.

"I will prove to you now that I made no mistake that Halloween night, other than overlooking the Mudblood's sacrifice."

James had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out at Voldemort's words.

"Wormtail, step forward," Voldemort commanded.

Despite the pain, it took every ounce of self-control that James possessed to stop himself from attacking the fidgeting man who nervously came forward at his master's call.

"Avada Kedavra!"

James stared unbelievingly at the dead body of his once best friend turned traitor. He didn't know what to feel: sorrow for the man he had once counted among his closest friends, satisfaction that the coward who had betrayed his family was dead, or some complicated mixture of the two.

"I couldn't keep a follower indebted to your son if that debt could be passed to you once he died, could I?" Voldemort asked James with a cruel and taunting tone. "Now," he continued as if nothing had happened, changing his position in his throne to a more comfortable one. "Leave the body!" he suddenly shouted as two Death Eaters stepped forward to remove Wormtail's body from their master's presence. "I want him to hear this as well, even if he is dead."

Voldemort looked around at his obeying, most faithful and trusted, "followers".

"That night," Voldemort began, "I went to Godric's Hollow with one objective in mind: To fulfill a Prophecy by killing Harry Potter. I never had the intention of killing either of the parents until the boy was dead. The Potters had defied me too many times, and I wanted them to witness the world after I completed my path to immortality when I was truly undefeatable. So when they meddled in my plans of killing the Potter boy, I had to get them out of the way. As you all know, Unforgivables do not work without enough power or if they are not meant. I did not _mean _for the two who dared defy my to die at that time, and so they didn't. But had I willed it, they would be dead. Because the Mudblood believed she would die, the protective spell that now runs through my veins as well acted as if she had died, and not seeing that, was the only blunder I had ever made. Now, though, it is completely rectified."

James stay still, in a sickened silence. That answered many questions, but it wasn't want he had been expecting; of course, he hadn't really known what he was expecting, but that most certainly wasn't anything close to it.

As if to prove the point of what he had said, Voldemort flicked his wand in the direction of Pettigrew's body, causing it to burst into flame. As well as being lighted, the room instantly filled with the disgusting odor of burning flesh. Voldemort stood, apparently unaffected by the reeking scent, and addressed three of his Death Eaters.

"Take Potter where ever you see fit."

James heard no more as two pairs of hands roughly pulled him to his feet and shoved him out the door. The two Death Eaters who were holding him seemed to be following the third. As relieved as James was to make it out of that room alive, he was still nervous about where he was about to go.

_

* * *

_Remus looked around the corridor. He was positive he had been to this one before, but he continued on. Eventually, he decided to check in on Grimmauld Place, maybe he could get some assistance from there. He pulled out the mirror he had.

"Black," he said quietly but clearly, unsure which one would most likely be holding the mirror he was trying to contact.

It took a few minutes, but soon the face of Jasmine Black came into view. "Remus," she said, wiping her eyes, but she didn't say it to him.

"Is he all right?" Remus heard Tonks ask.

"Moony, what's going on?"

"I'm lost," he said, "as in going in circles with absolutely no idea where to step next."

"Oh, uh, that's not a problem," Jasmine said. Remus could see her stand from the floor in the mirror. He could tell something wasn't quite right.

"Jas, what went wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, a little too quickly. "Just, um, Dumbledore's here, and he's, uh, helping."

"Wait a minute," Remus said, hiding the mirror in his still Disillusioned robes as he heard voices and footsteps approaching, along with a strong, repulsive smell that made him want to be sick. Once the danger had passed, although the horrible smell still lingered, Remus pulled out the mirror.

"Two Death Eaters just carried away a burnt body. There was no way that thing was still alive."

He didn't miss the alarm in his friend's eyes. "It wasn't--"

"I don't think so," he said hurriedly, "but I've got to get away from this smell before I'm sick."

As he continued to walk as far away from the Death Eaters, and the smell, as he could, Jasmine got a glimpse of where he was.

"Wait, wait!" she said. "Show me where you are, what it looks like!"

Remus held up the mirror so she could see all around. "Why, do you know this place?" he asked, half jokingly, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"Actually, I think I do."

_

* * *

_"Leave," the Death Eater in the lead ordered the two half-dragging James through the corridors of the place.

"But-" one began to protest.

"Now."

The order was simple, level, and calm, but James didn't know if he was more amazed by the power it held or by who he knew had given it.

Once the other two Death Eaters left, Severus Snape pulled off his mask to reveal his face.

"What do you think you are doing, Potter?!" he spat. Obviously, until he had seen James, he hadn't known the Marauder was there.

"Oh, I don't know, I missed the place and fancied a stroll. I'm here to save my wife!"

Snape cast a hurried glance around the deserted corridors and replaced his masked. "Get her out," he hissed, opening a door in front of them and shoving James through.

James heard the door close and lock behind him. It didn't take long for James to look around and recognize his surroundings. This was the room - _her_ room - where he had seen her tortured again and again. This was where she was. It had to be.

James spotted her instantly; no matter how filthy, her hair was still the beautiful, fiery red James had so often longed to feel again. "Lily," he muttered.

He forced himself to stand and make his way over to her, his body protesting painfully, but he paid it no mind. He had to see Lily. The pain didn't matter.

He collapsed next to her, and longed to touch her, feel that she was real, but he was afraid to, scared that if he did she would disappear forever.

"Lily," he whispered, gently tracing his finger down her pale, gaunt face. Tears were threatening to fall over. Here she was, after fourteen long years, right in front of him. She felt so cold.

James would have though she was dead, except that her emerald eyes opened wide in shock and fear when he touched her, looking wildly around the room.

"It's all right." His voice was breaking as he gently cupped her face in his hand. James had thought he'd have so much to say, but he found himself at a loss for words.

Her eyes were dull, void of life. They held only the fear and pain she had suffered all these long years. "J-James?" she asked, shakily, unbelieving, and weak. Her voice was nothing like the sweet melody it once was, but James couldn't have been more relieved to hear it. "How?" she asked, and weakly raised her hand and used a terribly thin finger to wipe the tear on her husband's face, as if she couldn't really believe he was there.

James gently seized her hand and kissed her palm. He wanted nothing more than to be home, holding her safely and securely in his arms forever. "Just got lucky, I guess."

"Lucky?" she croaked.

"It's been fourteen years; I'd say some luck is long overdue."

Lily looked as if she had just lost her hearing. "Fourteen y-years?"

James nodded as he pushed her matted hair off of her dirty face, savoring the feel of her skin and hair. "But we're getting out of here. Soon, I promise, we're going home."

Lily gave a small smile. "That sounds nice, but I think you're being a bit too optimistic, James." She was crying too. She had missed him so much, she thought she'd be dead before hearing his voice again, and here he was. Right there.

He flashed her one of his famous Marauder grins. "Not when Remus is walking around trying to find us."

"Remus? Remus Lupin? How did he get here?"

"That's a long story, and not the best to tell here. I had to come back for you though, Remus, Sirius, Jas, and Harry are going to help get us out of here. We'll be home with him soon."

"H-Harry?"

James had all but forgotten that Lily didn't know Harry was alive. "I thought we lost him too, but he's alive. He's amazing, Lily. I- you're going to be so proud of him."

She smiled. "I already am." Her husband was holding her, her son was alive. How could this all be real and true? Lily wanted to believe it was; after the hell she had lived in for so long, she had to.

"James," she whispered, her eyes wide. She placed a hand on the dried blood that covered his chest.

His jaw tightened as the thought of what was under that blood. "It's nothing," he said unconvincingly. James gently moved her hand and repositioned his legs so that he could hold his wife's body, shivering with cold, against his own. He felt the effect of the past fourteen years as she tensed in his arms, relaxing ever-so-slightly against him. She was so thin, so fragile; and James knew that it was because everything that happened to had happened so much worse to her. They had used her to torture him.

_

* * *

_"Jas, I think you're directing me in circles."

"No. No, I'm sure that's the right way."

"Really? Because half the time you've had your nose in that book, and it's been what? twenty-some years since you've been here?"

"Well do you want to find them and not have a way out of there? And once Bellatrix gives you your fifth grand tour of her oh-so-charming basement, you start to learn your way around."

"This place is more complicated than Hogwarts."

"And I had that down well before Christmas of our first year. Shut up!"

"I didn't say anything," Remus said tonelessly.

"No, I know how to get you out of there. But. . . oh, crap."

"What?"

"Nothing. Yeah, this isn't a problem. I think I can get Sirius or myself there and one of us can bring it."

"If you're talking about a Portkey, I can just--"

"No, you can't. Protective charms. But I found the charm that may have been used on that knife, or some variation of it. . . Yes, definitely a variation; it needs to be placed on the object at the location the person traveling by it wants to end up. Since I think it's based off whatever that dagger had placed on it, it should be able to bypass the security charms that would prevent Portkeying or apparating. And Sirius and I should be able to get in there because we're closely related to the Lestranges."

"Send Sirius," Remus quickly decided. "If something goes wrong, I'd rather have you with the resources to get us out."

Jasmine snorted, glad to have a temporary distraction from what was happening with her godson. "Like I would really leave the survival of everyone there solely in the hands of Sirius Black when books are a necessary part of the equation."

"Wait, I think I've found it." Remus pushed open a door with his wand held in front of him. It was empty. He quickly made his way to a large window in the room and looked through it. "Yeah, I see them!" We may all get out of this alive after all, Remus thought to himself.

"Yeah, what?" Remus heard Sirius ask through the mirror. He then heard Jasmine perform some spell he had never heard before, and under a minute later, Sirius was standing right beside him.

"Did he get there all right?" Jasmine asked. "I had to remember a few passwords and whatnot from twenty-some years ago, so. . ."

"No, I didn't 'get there all right', I was sent there," Sirius answered cheekily.

"Hit him for me, would you? And make it hurt."

"Gladly," Remus said, and smacked Sirius upside the head.

"Ouch!"

"Okay, here's where to go. . ."

Jasmine gave them directions to reach the room Lily and James were being held. They made their way to it without much problem.

_

* * *

_At Grimmauld Place, Jasmine kept the mirror with her, but it was no longer connected to the other one after she finished the directions. She went to check on Harry.

Just as she reached the door, Dumbledore came out looking solemn, and Molly was in tears. Jasmine felt her heart tighten in fear, and Dumbledore slowly shook his head.

"NO!" She ran past them to her godson's pale body. No breathing, no bleeding. No life.

"Jasmine-"

But she didn't hear the Headmaster, who, in that moment, looked his true age. She couldn't speak, couldn't think, couldn't cry. She was operating only on what primal instinct told her to do. Slowly, as if in a trance, she raised her wand and watched as a small, silvery fox ran out of sight.

Unable to control it, she collapsed to the floor and cried.

_

* * *

_Lily had fallen asleep. She finally felt safe enough to close her eyes. James made sure she could feel that safety. He was still awake, though; he had to wait for Remus to come or contact them.

But Remus didn't come first. A fox that James recognized as Jasmine's Patronus did. The fox stopped in front of him, and spoke in Jasmine's tear-filled voice.

"Harry. . . He-- he's. . . dead."

_

* * *

**A/N: Well, there's chapter ten, and, the way the story's looking, there's only going to need to be one more chapter for it to be completed.**_


	11. Destiny Determined

_**A/N: The last chapter, yay!  
**

* * *

_

_"Harry. . . He-- he's. . . dead."

* * *

_**Chapter 11  
**

James felt his entire world crash down around him as Jasmine's words echoed through his numb mind. It couldn't be true. It wasn't possible. Harry, his son Harry, he was alive! What Voldemort had said - what Jasmine had said! - it simply couldn't be true. Harry couldn't be dead, not after everything had just started to go right. They were going to be a family again! Just like before Voldemort attacked. He wouldn't take his family again, even Death himself would not be so cruel. He had his family! And they were again going to live as one. He, Lily, and Harry. . . Lily. Oh Merlin, Lily.

He looked at the sleeping beauty lying against his chest, and wrapped his arms more securely around her. He couldn't tell her, not now, not like this. He had seen something light behind her eyes when he told her Harry was alive, a new will to live had shown through. How could he take that away from her? They had both lost so much already. He couldn't lose Harry again! But Voldemort was right. . . He already had.

James wanted to bury his face in his wife's hair and just cry. Even if they did get out of this terrible place, what did it matter? He would never be whole again, not without having his son in his life. 

But he couldn't, he had to be strong. He had to take Lily home; he had promised her after all. He promised to take her home. But did "home" even exist for them anymore?

James couldn't think over anything as the reality that he'd never see or speak to his child again sank in. He didn't comprehend Remus telling him via mirror that he and Sirius were on their way. Nor did he take in Lily waking and asking what was wrong.

Even if he did, how could he tell the woman he loved, the mother of his child, that their baby was really dead? Especially when he couldn't find it in him to admit it to himself.

* * *

Molly was crying into her twin sons' shoulders as they tried to comfort her. Hermione had thrown her arms around Ron and was sobbing desperately into his chest as he numbly put his arms around her and stared blankly, unthinking, into his mind's abyss. Ginny ran into the room she and Hermione shared and slammed the door shut. Dumbledore suspected the girl put a Silencing Charm on the door because no one had heard anything from her since.

The old Headmaster wiped a tear from his dull eye as he watched the reactions of those closest to Harry when he had told them Harry was lost. "I am truly sorry," he said, but no one heard him.

He went back into the study to complete a task harder than what he had just done; he needed to know the truth of what happened in its entirety.

"Miss Black?"

The witch had finally turned away from her godson's body, and was clutching her niece, her anchor and touchstone, as they both cried. She heard her name, but didn't look up. Harry was dead, and, in the words of Professor Dumbledore himself, there was no spell that could reawaken the dead.

Showing great strength for a man so old, Dumbledore placed his hands on Jasmine's arms and forced her to stand. Tonks stood shortly afterwards as well.

"Jasmine," he said slowly, "I need to know what happened."

Tonks's hand still held in her own, Jasmine looked away and ran the back of her fingers down Harry's pale, dead cheek. The boy's eyes were closed, and his godmother hadn't been able to cover his face.

"Jasmine," the Headmaster tried again, "I need to know how my student died."

Her eyes shut, and she turned to the wizard with a sharp glare. "Is that all he is to you?" she asked in a voice hollow and lifeless.

"Of course not, but this is something that I need to know."

Jasmine thought carefully before answering. "If you were to organize a mission to rescue Lily, would you have risked the spy or tried some sort of ambush?"

"Would you please elaborate?"

"Would you have sent James back to get Lily out?"

Dumbledore had a feeling as to where this was going. "I would not have considered putting James back into the hands of Voldemort, especially so soon after his escape."

"They would have killed her if anyone but James had shown up, she would have never made it out. We had to get her out. H-harry," her voice broke as she thought over what happened next. "We would have stopped him, we wouldn't have let him. . . We didn't know."

Dumbledore listened carefully. He understood what the Marauders had done: They had foreseen and sidestepped an old man's mistake before it happened. Unfortunately, they had made one themselves in the process.

* * *

Sirius and Remus saw the door. Finally, they were all going to get home, and a part of the nightmare would end.

A powerful stunning spell hit the wall just to the left of Sirius, creating a tiny crater in the wall. The two Marauders spun around, wands drawn, as cries of "Intruder!" sounded from the Death Eater who spotted them. He was stunned, easily, but more could be heard headed that way.

Sirius mentally slapped himself when he looked down and realized he hadn't been disillusioned.

"Here, get these to James and Lily," Remus whispered, taking from his pocket two firm pieces of wood and placing them in Sirius's hand.

"What about you?"

"I'll hold off the welcome committee," Remus answered, a slight hint of mischief in his voice.

Sirius nodded and continued on his way to the Potters. Remus could take care of himself, as well as see his opponents.

Surprisingly, a simple "Alohomora" opened the door, and Sirius was able to slip inside unnoticed, as sounds of a duel were heard not too far away.

"Sirius, is that you?"

Sirius looked to the source of the familiar voice that sounded so unrecognizable. How could that be Lily? She looked so. . . dead. But of course, he figured Azkaban hadn't helped him much in the beauty department either. "Yeah. Lily?"

She smiled; it was finally over. . . Almost.

"Prongs?"

"Let's get out of here," James said tonelessly.

James stood, wobbling slightly, and Sirius mentally grimaced at the dried coat of red that covered his friend's torso. There would be time for those questions later.

James offered his hands to Lily, and he helped pull her to her feet. She was visibly shaking as she stood, struggling to support her own weight, and James had to tightly grab on to her when she took a step forward and her knee gave out.

"I can walk," she said, a bitter tone directed at herself for not having been able to accomplish so simple a task.

"I know that, I just don't want you to fall."

She smiled gratefully, but James seemed to be struggling with holding up his own weight, let alone hers, even if it wasn't that much.

Sirius came over and was about to put his arm around Lily to help support her when he remembered what Remus gave him to give to James and Lily.

"Oh wait." He dug into his pocket and produced two wands that weren't his.

"Where did you get these?" Lily asked, reaching out a hand to touch and take her wand, which she hadn't seen in fourteen years. She welcomed the familiar warmth the wand brought to her hand as she held it.

"Moony found them."

James took his own wand with the same awe, but he wasn't shocked enough to forget, even momentarily, that his son wasn't waiting for his parents' return.

* * *

Remus wasn't having too bad a time. The few Death Eaters present had taken to shooting hexes and curses at random places around the corridor (which Remus could easily avoid) out of frustration that they couldn't locate their target. Not to mention that Remus had recently learned how to make his spells appear to come from a different location that where he was (much like a ventriloquist throws his voice), and had decided that this was the perfect opportunity to practice it.

But with the number of Death Eaters increasing, Remus couldn't deny that he was happy to see Sirius join the fight, followed closely by James and Lily.

As Sirius and James jumped forward - James with a determination behind his eyes that Remus had never seen before - Lily had to use the wall to support herself as she shot various spells at those attacking. Her spells didn't seem as powerful as they once had, but Lily didn't let that slow her down. She wanted revenge for what these people had done to her family.

Between the Marauders - one of which was Disillusioned - and Lily, it didn't take long to immobilize what Death Eaters had come, but it would have been folly for them not to have taken that moment to get to safety, especially with more Death Eaters, and possibly Voldemort himself, on the way.

Sirius put the mirror he had on the floor, licked his finger, and rubbed it against the mirror. Lily looked at him quizzically and somewhat disgustedly.

Sirius shrugged. "I needed to get my DNA on there to activate it somehow. Just don't touch it without everyone."

"You know, Sirius," Remus said, taking the Disillusionment Charm off of himself, "it probably would have been more sanitary for you if you had just licked the mirror."

"Moony, you're hilarious," Sirius said. "I was actually planning on just spitting on the damn thing, but we all know how Lily feels about that 'disgusting and immature habit'."

Lily rolled her eyes, but then spotted her husband, who was standing somewhat apart from the other Marauders and looking at something on the floor.

"James?" she gently called over to him, clutching Remus's recently un-disillusioned arm as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

"Just a minute." James was currently looking at something on the floor that had been dropped by one of the Death Eaters. It was the knife, the snake dagger that had murdered his child.

"Prongs, we have to go," James heard Sirius say as the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard getting louder and louder. What Padfoot had said was true, but what would he be going to? The thought of losing his son again, the pain. . . it was unbearable. He had missed so much of Harry's life already, and now, because of him, Harry didn't even have his life. What kind of father was he? It was his fault his son was dead, his fault entirely.

James didn't want to think like that, but he couldn't stop himself from doing so; it was true. A part of him didn't even want to go back. But he had to. Lily, he promised Lily.

"James!"

James heard his name called, but paid it no heed. He couldn't leave, not yet, not when the thing that pierced his son could still look at him through the venomous eyes of the snake. He raised his wand. James didn't say the spell, and he didn't remember thinking it, but the next instant he looked at the horrible dagger, it was nothing more than half a snake, a handle. The blade was gone, as were those gleaming, red eyes. Now, only sockets in an empty snake head were left.

Looking over at the Death Eater who had dropped the blade, James saw that it was Severus Snape.

So the greasy git really was on the Order's side.

But no matter how much James hated Snape, they were still on the same side. Again with his wand, James banished the remains of the snake dagger to the side of another stunned Death Eater.

"James, we really need you to be done here now," Sirius said worriedly.

Slowly, James nodded and made his way to his friends and wife. Then he noticed that his friends were supporting his unconscious wife.

"Lily! What happened to her?!" James ignored the screaming pain of protest coming from his injuries as he lifted Lily into his arms and held her bridal-style to his chest.

"She passed out. She's really weak, mate. We need to get her out of here."

James nodded, not really comprehending what he was nodding in agreement with. The pain he was feeling seemed to numb out everything around him. It was worse than anything he had ever felt before, even losing Harry for the first time. Nothing could compare to how James felt at that moment. But the worst part was that he couldn't tell Lily. How could he inflict this pain on the woman he loved? More than anything, he wanted Harry back, and he was willing to give anything to get his son back; but the hardest part would be telling Lily that he was responsible for their son's death.

"Alright, count of three, everyone touch the mirror."

James's body seemed to be on autopilot as he reached forth to touch the mirror when Sirius said "three". The all-too familiar feeling came over him as he, Lily, Sirius, and Remus were transported back to Grimmauld Place, a killing curse sent by Voldemort having just missed them.

After arriving in Sirius's childhood home, James silently repositioned Lily in his arms, and without a word, carried her upstairs to his room. He needed to be alone, just with her, just for a while. He gently laid her on the bed, and bent over to kiss her forehead.

"James. . ."

"Yeah, love." He took ahold of her hand as she began to wake up, looking at her still closed eyes. He wished she would open them, he had to see the life behind her eyes.

"It wasn't a dream."

James lifted her hand to his mouth. "No."

He looked into Lily's half-open emerald eyes as her hand gently wiped away a tear that was making its way down his face.

"You look awful," Lily said with a slight smile.

James gave a sad smile in return. "You're beautiful."

Lily smiled wider and make to prop herself up on the pillows behind her. "I love you," she told him.

He sat next to her on the bed. "Love you, too." He leaned forward and captured her lips with his own.

* * *

"Think they'll be okay?" Sirius asked when James left with Lily. 

"Yeah, Lily's strong, they both are. She'll make it though." Remus paused before continuing. "I'm more concerned that we haven't run into anyone yet."

Sirius nodded. "Think that could have anything to do with why Prongs was acting so strange before?" he asked worriedly.

"I don't know, Padfoot. I don't know. But something's wrong here."

* * *

At Grimmauld Place, before the Marauders had returned with Lily, Jasmine had shut herself in the study, refusing to part with her dead godson. She knew that he was beyond all hope, that nothing could bring him back now, but she didn't feel right about leaving him; not when she had failed him so many times already, first with the Dursley's, and now with this.

The door opened and Ron and Hermione slowly came over to their friend's side, tears in both of their eyes.

No one spoke, there was nothing to be said.

Sometime later, none in the room knew how long, Mrs. Weasley came in, trying to persuade them all to leave, saying that they were only hurting themselves by being there.

Jasmine slowly opened her trembling mouth, trying to keep her emotions and voice under control before responding. But before she was able to utter a sound, her godson drew a deep breath and began coughing violently as his body shivered.

"Harry!" Jasmine placed one hand on his arm, and with her other, gently patted his back until his coughs subsided.

"Albus! Albus!" Molly began to call, not knowing what else to do, or who else would.

Once Harry's coughs lessened, Jasmine, who was sitting slightly behind him, wrapped her arms tightly around the boy. He was freezing to the touch, and noticing this, his godmother wrapped the blanket that was over him closer to him.

"Oh, Harry." Jasmine had never felt such relief; she had completely forgotten about the Patronus she sent to James.

"Harry, are you. . . how are you feeling?" Hermione asked disbelieving and tentatively.

"Cold," he rasped out, in a voice that sounded as though it hadn't been used in a very long time, as he leaned into his godmother's warm embrace.

Hermione nodded, but seemed unable to control herself any longer as she flung her arms around Harry, sobbing uncontrollably.

Ron was about to say something when Dumbledore walked in, followed closely by Tonks, Fred, George, and Ginny, who had composed herself enough to see what all the commotion was about, even though her eyes were still puffy and red.

Hermione let go of Harry and back up so Dumbledore could come closer.

"Harry, how are you feeling?" he asked, as though not believing his own eyes.

"A little cold, really tired," Harry said, in the same voice as before. He was also feeling a little confused though. It didn't feel like his arm was bleeding, or even wounded, anymore, but that didn't fit with what he knew. All Harry remembered was feeling as though he were bleeding to death one moment, and the next. . . He couldn't remember. What had happened? "Sir. . . What's going on?"

Dumbledore still had a puzzled look when he answered. "Harry, just a minute ago. . . you were dead."

He had died? Harry didn't remember dying. He didn't remember anything. "Oh," was all he could think to say as Mrs. Weasley let out a small sob, and Ginny looked close to doing the same.

"Sir," Jasmine started to ask, "how. . . ?"

The Headmaster paused for a while to think before answering. "It is possible, due to the nature of the curse that 'killed' Harry, that the object responsible had a way to reverse its own effects, even to the point of death. However, that is only was theory, until now, I believe." By the time Dumbledore was done speaking, those in the room could see that the twinkle was back behind his eyes. "Something must have happened to the object in question that brought Harry back to us."

Someone could be heard moving through the house, then a door closing harshly.

"They're back," Jasmine said, almost silently; however, every ear heard her.

Harry sat up a little more. "Can I - . . . ?" He looked around, not really knowing whom to address.

"Yes. Yes, if you're feeling up to it, I think you should, dear," Molly said.

Harry nodded, and made to get up.

* * *

After Harry left to see his parents, walking shakily but not looking as though he were in any danger of falling, Jasmine and Tonks headed downstairs to see Sirius and Remus. They only heard one person upstairs, and figured it was James, hopefully with Lily.

They found the two they were looking for in the kitchen.

"Back so soon?" Jasmine asked when she saw Padfoot and Moony didn't notice them.

Both Marauders jumped ever so slightly at the unexpected voice. They turned to look at the source, Sirius smiling and Remus looking nervously at Tonks.

Tonks went straight to Remus and hugged him as though her life depended on it. After Harry had died, she had been so afraid of losing someone else too, especially Remus.

Jasmine sat next to Sirius and asked a question that was nagging her mind. "How's Lily?"

"She should be okay. She's unconscious now, but she was fine enough to duel Death Eaters just a bit ago. What's going on here?"

"I'll tell you, just give me a minute to let it all sink in first."

Sirius nodded; he was still trying to digest everything that had happened within the past few days.

* * *

The kiss had healed him, while it lasted at least. It took away the pain James was feeling over losing his son, until it ended. Then he had been thrown back into the harsh reality that Harry was really gone.

Lily had fallen asleep after, on her suggestion, they'd both cleaned themselves up. James just watched her as she slept, wondering how he could ever tell her that Harry was dead. He wished he could go back in time, far enough to stop himself from switching their Secret Keeper to Pettigrew, and prevent all this from happening. James didn't look away from his wife when he heard the door creak open, after having ignored a light knocking.

"Dad?"

James's head shot up, and in one swift motion, he stood and turned, not caring as he knocked over the chair he had been sitting in. He couldn't believe his eyes, or ears. Harry. Standing right there. Alive. As fast as he could, James crossed the room and pulled his son into a fierce hug. He felt Harry put his own arms around him and held on tighter, afraid that if he let go, he would lose Harry forever, again.

After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart, and James held Harry at arms length.

"I thought I'd lost you," he said, with tears still in his eyes. Before Harry could think of an answer, James pulled him close and kissed his forehead, then pulled him into another hug. Although it didn't last as long as the first, it held just as much love.

"Come here." James placed his hands on Harry's shoulders and guided him over to where Lily was still sleeping.

Harry couldn't believe it. His parents, alive, with him. How many times had he wished for this? Finally, he got to be with the two people he loved more than any others, no matter how little memories he had of them.

Slowly, with his father's hand still on his shoulder, Harry reached out his own hand and smiled. For the first time in his remembered life, he was holding his mother's hand.

* * *

* * *

The days were passing quickly before Harry had to return to Hogwarts, and for the first time in his life, he wasn't looking forward to it. James and Lily didn't want Harry to go either, but they never voiced any objections to him going. It wasn't forever, after all.

Lily carefully walked down the stairs to the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Determined to make a quick and full recovery, she had been doing much better, but she still had to exercise extreme caution when doing anything other than laying down or sleeping.

She heard laughter within the kitchen, but when she entered, she sat down next to James and Harry, immediately decided that she didn't want to know why Sirius had a pancake stuck to his head.

James turned and kissed her on the cheek as she reached for a plate after giving her son a small hug.

It hadn't been easy for either of the Potters to get adjusted to this new life after fourteen years of pure hell, but whatever hardships they, or Harry, faced, they would get through together. They were a family, and had proved that nothing could tear them apart.

-THE END-

* * *

**_A/N: Did you really think I could kill Harry before he met Lily? Oh, and I'm thinking about writing a sequel to this, but I'd have to warn you that if I did, anyone who died in it would stay dead. Kind of hard to think that this is actually over._**


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